Someone to Care
by Torie46
Summary: When Reed Richard's brother dies he becomes the guardian of his niece, Lisa. Set two years before and during the first movie.
1. A New Home

Someone to Care

Someone to Care

Summary: **When Reed Richards's younger brother dies he gets custody of his eight-year-old niece, Lisa. Starts two years before the first movie and goes through it. I had this idea for awhile. Rated K+**

**&**

Eight-year-old Lisa Richards looked at the huge building in front of her. The day had gone by fast for her. Her father had passed out on the couch as Lisa went to school. The police had then come after recess saying her father had died and she was going to live with her father's older brother that she had never met.

The police said that he was a scientist. Dr. Reed Richards. He was only one year older than her father and her only living relative from the papers that her father had kept. Her mother had no brothers or sisters and both sets of grandparents had died before she was born.

Lisa entered an elevator with the woman from Child Services. She might have liked the woman if she smiled and didn't act as if Lisa were going to a firing range instead of going to live with an unknown uncle.

Mrs. Childes knocked on the door and one of the biggest men Lisa had ever seen answered the door. He had no hair, but his eyes were blue and he had a friendly smile. "Are you Dr. Richards?" Mrs. Childes asked crisply.

"No. I'm his friend Ben Grimm," the man said just as crisply.

"I'm Sarah Childes from Child Services. It's imperative that I speak to Dr. Richards. Is he in?" Mrs. Childes asked her voice dropping to a whisper.

"Yes I am," a dark-haired man entered the room, wearing a white lab coat. His hair was almost black and his eyes were a warm brown; like chocolate. He was smiling and wiping his hands on a rag. He looked kind of like Lisa's father. The only difference was that he had a kinder look than Lisa's father did. Lisa was willing to bet that her uncle didn't drink and pass out on the couch at night.

"I am Sarah Childes from Child Services. Your brother, Scott Richards was found dead in his house this morning, Dr. Richards," Mrs. Childes said, apparently not beating around the bush. She didn't when she had told Lisa about her father's death.

"Scott and I had never really gotten along that well after our mother died. How did he die?" Reed asked. So far neither Ben nor her uncle had noticed Lisa. Lisa was usually invisible during conversations. This wasn't any different.

"Doctor says it was quite possible that he drank himself to death," Mrs. Childes said flatly. The woman didn't really care about how Lisa's father died. He only job was to give Lisa to her uncle and get out of there.

"Scott did like to drink. I never could understand what he liked about it," Reed said casually.

"Well, we found out something too. When one of his neighbors called us and we went searching we found papers in a locked drawer in your brother's night table. Your brother was married once too. He lost her from complications in child birth. His daughter, your niece, Lisa Richards, is eight years old and you are her only living relative, Doctor," Mrs. Childes said.

Her uncle's face was one of shock. Looking down it was then that he noticed Lisa. His face turned to one of compassion as her uncle's eyes met hers. They were dark brown like hers and her father's. Her first guess on their color was right. Unlike her father's, though, her uncle's eyes were gentle. Her father's were often glazed from alcohol or angry from the times Lisa just got on his nerves.

"Is this her?" Reed asked, stooping to Lisa's level.

"Yes. She's kind of not said much since I told her about her father. All she said was 'thank you' when I opened the door for her," Mrs. Childes said, pushing Lisa forward a little bit.

'I'm really the only living relative she has?" Reed asked uncertainly as he put his hands on her thin shoulders.

"Yes. Her mother had no other relatives and you were your brother's only living relative. If you don't take her she'll be in a foster home tonight," Mrs. Childes said severely.

Reed looked at Lisa for a long moment. "All right. She can live with me. I would not let a child go through the foster care system for anything," Reed said reluctantly.

"Thank you, Dr. Richards. We'll ship her things to you. We'll also have to check on her every so often to make sure she's doing okay," Mrs. Childes said, before making a hasty retreat.

"So, you're Lisa?" Reed asked.

"Yes, Sir," Lisa said, her voice barely above a whisper as she looked at the floor. Lisa swallowed visibly as Reed stood and took her hand in his. His hand absolutely swallowed hers.

"Come with me and I'll show you to your room," Reed said. Lisa had to make large steps just so she could keep up with her uncle.

"I guess this is where you'll sleep. It doesn't look like much, but when your things get here you can decorate," Reed said, smiling slightly at her.

"I don't have much except my clothes, Uncle Reed," Lisa said quietly. Her uncle stopped in shock as he opened the hideous brown curtains in front of the windows.

"Well, we'll see what we can do to make this room more comfortable. Are you hungry? I'll order out for pizza in a few hours," Reed said. He sounded unsure what to do with her. He probably didn't know the first thing about kids or raising girls for that matter.

"Not really," Lisa admitted. She wondered if she could tell him that she was scared and relieved at the same time. Scared over her new life and relieved that her father would never beat her again. And that relief made her feel guilty. She should be feeling sad over her father; not relieved with him never hitting her again.

"Well, you just rest for a few hours. Maybe you'll change your mind about food. Also if you want to talk I'll be in my lab if you need me," Uncle Reed said as she sat down on her bed and he left.


	2. Building a Relationship and Meetings

Chapter 2-

Chapter 2-

Reed left his niece's room wondering if he should have taken her to his lab with him. Lisa looked slightly scared of something. The thought crossed his mind that it might have been him she was afraid of. Of course that was silly. The poor girl had never seen him before in her life and she had just lost her father. She was probably still grieving over it.

Of course she had the Richards' way of dealing with grief. For as long as Reed could remember if anyone was sad in his family they never talked about it. They would mourn quietly. It wasn't the best way, but old habits sometimes died hard. Maybe that was another reason why Reed's girlfriend, Sue Storm, decided to breakup with him.

Ben came down the hall with a broken piece of machinery. "How is she, Egghead?" Ben asked. Ben had been Reed's best friend for years. Ben had even taken the place of Scott when Scott had stopped being Reed's little brother.

"Ben, she's so standoffish. I can honestly say it's like looking at Scott the last few years before he disappeared," Reed said, looking toward the door he had closed to his niece's room.

"It probably has nothing to do with you. If I had just lost my father and some cold, uncaring woman told me I had to live with an uncle I didn't know or even met, I'd be scared too," Ben said as the door to Lisa's room opened gently.

Lisa stepped into the hallway and looked up at Reed. "Where's your bathroom?" Lisa asked her voice tiny in the hallway.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Come with me and I'll show you," Reed apologized. He walked towards her. Lisa got this scared look in her eyes and backed away quickly. Then Reed knew. She was scared of him, but why?

"Lisa?" Reed asked, reaching out to touch her shoulder gently. The little girl looked at him. Her brown eyes were full of fear. Reed then thought of his brother. Scott had a temper problem and could get abusive. He wondered if that had been the case with Lisa. Having your father beat you would make you scared of anyone if they were trying to help you.

"Lisa, it's okay," Reed said calmly and in a soothing tone. It was a trick he had learned when talking to a frightened animal. Talk calmly and the animal wouldn't be so afraid. It was terrible that he had to put his niece in with animals, but she looked like a frightened rabbit about to bolt.

Lisa took a few hesitant steps toward him. "It's okay, Lisa. No one's ever going to hurt you again," Reed said, wrapping his arms around her thin shoulders and hugging her tightly. Reed then noticed that she was crying, but for some reason they were not grieving tears. Lisa wrapped her arms around his neck and just bawled uncontrollably.

Reed didn't have much experience with kids, but he knew a frightened little girl when he saw one. No little girl or boy would cling to him as tightly as this one was doing. "It's all right, Lisa. I know this is scary for you," Reed said, trying to keep his voice soothing for the child.

"You're not gonna send me away?" Lisa asked, raising her head from Reed's shoulder, her nose dripping like a faucet.

Reed took out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes. "Why would I? You are my niece," Reed said, moving the handkerchief to wipe her nose.

"Daddy said he never wanted me around. I heard him," Lisa said in a tiny voice.

"That's a terrible thing to say to such a pretty little girl like you. Why would he say something like that?" Ben wanted to know.

"Because it's my fault that my mama-" Lisa started to say. Reed hugged her tightly before he could finish.

"That was not your fault, Lisa. Your father was wrong to tell you that. I never met your mother, but it isn't your fault that she died," Reed said, stroking her dark hair gently. Reed knew he was angry at his brother. What kind of man blamed an eight-year-old for her mother's death?

"Uncle Reed, I like you," Lisa said, looking up and sniffling. The feelings that he felt towards this little girl was new and foreign to him. The only person he had ever loved besides his mother and, maybe Scott when they got along was Sue Storm. This little girl brought out his loving nature.

"Thank you, Lisa. I like you too," Reed said. Her attention turned to Ben, who had been following the conversation.

"What do I call you?" Lisa asked. Ben smiled at her gently. Ben looked tough, but underneath he was gentle with kids and all kids liked him.

"I'm your uncle's friend. How about just Ben, Sweetheart?" Ben asked.

"My daddy said it's rude to call men and women by their first names," Lisa said politely.

"Normally it is, but if someone says you can it's okay," Ben said, a small smile tugging his lips. Reed and Ben looked at each other, amused. Having Lisa around should prove interesting. This kid was honest.

"How about I call you 'Uncle' too?" Lisa asked, cocking her head slightly, reminding Reed of his brother. Scott often cocked his head like that when they were small and Scott was thinking.

"Uncle Ben? Sounds like the rice," Ben said, apparently thinking about the name.

Reed heard Lisa snort at that suggestion; the closest to a laugh that he had heard from her since she had arrived. "You know he's right," Reed said, tugging on one of her dark braids gently.

"I know, but it's better than calling him by his first name or last name," Lisa said, with a logic that couldn't be argued with.

"You know, she's right, Ben," Reed said, looking at his friend as he stood. Reed looked down quickly as he felt Lisa's hand slip into his. Already the little girl had become attached to him and him to her.

"Okay. Uncle Ben it is," Ben said, raising his hands in defeat. Reed then pointed out the bathroom and Lisa all but ran to it. Apparently she had forgotten she had to use it until now.

"Reed, are you sure you are up to taking care of an eight-year-old?" Ben asked quietly.

"I don't know that yet, Ben. All I know is that Lisa has been hurt by her own father and I never want her hurt again like she has been. I want her to know that I love her already," Reed said.

&

**Two years later...**

Lisa Richards came into her uncle's lab after the doorman picked her up after school. For the last two years whenever her uncle or Ben couldn't pick her up the doorman or Ben's fiancée, Debbie, picked her up.

In the two years since her father's death Uncle Reed had been a good choice for raising her. He had always been there for her since he had told her that her mother's death wasn't her fault and that Daddy was wrong to say that to her, drunk or sober. Even when he was busy he made time for her, becoming a second father to her. Today he had gone to get funding for research on his latest science project.

Uncle Reed was busy putting potted plants into a box. "Uncle Reed!" Lisa exclaimed, running towards him and wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.

Uncle Reed rubbed her thin back gently. It was something he always did. The first time had been when she hadn't been able to go to sleep that first night in the Baxter Building and he had sat in the chair in her room until she had fallen asleep. Lisa slept on her stomach and Uncle Reed had rubbed her back until she fell asleep. It was as comforting then as now.

"How was school?" Her uncle asked, Lisa burying her face in his chest.

"Okay. I was a little surprised that you didn't pick me up, Uncle Reed," Lisa said.

"Lisa, you found out when you came to live with me that I couldn't always pick you up. Anyways, I got the funding for my research. Would you like to come?" Uncle Reed asked, twirling one of her braids in his hands.

"Is that allowed?" Lisa asked.

"I'm pretty sure it is. I'll just tell Victor von Doom that you're my niece and I can't leave you alone here," Uncle Reed said.

"Okay. If I'm allowed then I'll come," Lisa said. Her uncle gently massaged her face with his hand.

"Go pack enough for at least two weeks. You should get a flight suit so bring enough just to keep you busy," Uncle Reed said, kissing her forehead gently.

"Will we be up in space that long, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked.

"If everything goes on schedule. That's one reason why I want you to come. You shouldn't stay here for two weeks by yourself without me around," Uncle Reed said.

"All right. It'll only take me a few minutes to pack my things, Uncle Reed," Lisa said, going towards her room.

It didn't take her long to pack. She crammed a bag full of books and CDs and followed her uncle outside to a waiting limo. "Wow!" Lisa exclaimed softly. Uncle Reed grinned at her.

Yeah. Victor's not that bad. He's just a little larger than life if his limo's any indication," Reed said as they got into the limo. Lisa started to giggle which caused both of them to start laughing. In the two years she had lived with her uncle they had a pretty easygoing relationship.

Victor von Doom's launch facility was in the middle of no where. Reed met Ben at the entrance. "Hey, Sweetie," Ben said, hugging Lisa and kissing her forehead gently.

"Hi, Uncle Ben," Lisa said. After two years she still called Ben 'Uncle.' She really liked Ben a lot. He looked hard and tough without the hair, but he was a teddy bear.

A few hours later Lisa was reading a book, her uncle was at his laptop, and Ben had opened his journal to a picture of him and Debbie.

"Captain on the bridge!" A sharp voice commanded, causing Ben to stand at attention and Lisa to drop her book with a thud. A sharp flash went off, temporarily blinding Lisa.

"Digital camera. 254 dollars. Memory stick. 59 dollars/ Former CO Officer's face at his junior officer. Priceless," a young man with a camera said, sitting down. Ben gave Uncle Reed a sour look, to which Reed gave a brief smile. Ben looked back, looking like he was going to hit the guy.

"Uncle Ben, don't," Lisa said, trying to diffuse the situation.

Ben reached out and zipped the guy's flight suit where it was open at the throat. "Thank you," the guy said.

"I can handle the ship. I can even handle him, but I don't know whether I should be flying or doing Swan Lake in these suits. I mean, who came up with these?" Ben asked, taking a copy of a flight suit out of the closet he was standing next to.

"Victor did. The synthetics act as a second skin adapting to your body's individual needs," a blonde-haired woman came into the room, holding a flight suit.

Uncle Reed stood as she came into the room. "Impressive," Lisa commented, touching a fold of the material on the flight suit that the woman was holding.

"Wow!" Uncle Reed said. The woman's face fell when Uncle Reed took the flight suit. The woman liked her uncle. That much was obvious. Either he didn't like her or he just wasn't observant.

"Fantastic! Material made from self-regulating, unstable molecules," Uncle Reed said. Ben and the woman looked at each other. Somehow this had happened before. "I've been working on a formula for this," Uncle Reed said, looking at Johnny and then Lisa.

"Great minds think alike. Victor told me to give your niece this. I guess that's you," the woman said, handing Lisa the flight suit in Uncle Reed's hand.

"Thanks. I'm Lisa," Lisa said by way of introduction.

"I'm Sue Storm and this is my brother, Johnny," Sue said, indicating the wiseguy.

"Nice to meet you," Lisa said, feeling her face get hot. She hated meeting new people.

"Here you go, Ben," Sue said, handing him a suit.

"Thanks, Sweetie," Ben said, taking the suit.

"Reed," Sue said, avoiding eye contact with Uncle Reed as she tossed a suit into his chest and walked over to Lisa. "If you'll come with me, Lisa, I'll show you where you can change," Sue said, walking over to Lisa.

"Will I be able to come back for my books?" Lisa asked, looking longingly at the book she had dropped on the floor.

"Of course you will. We'll suit you up and then you'll come back," Sue said, leading her to a private room. Lisa undressed quickly, trying not to look at the bruises on her arms and legs from all the times her father had hit her. Sometimes bruises just never healed. Uncle Reed didn't even know she still had bruises from that time. She had just never told him


	3. The Accident in Space

Chapter 3- The Accident in Space

Chapter 3- The Accident in Space

Victor's space station was incredible! Lisa had seen reports about it while her uncle watched the news. It was like a big filling station in the sky!

Uncle Reed and Lisa stopped to look out a viewport at the Earth, while Uncle Ben, Johnny and Victor walked along. Lisa heard Uncle Ben mutter something to Johnny about how Johnny was teasing him. "Long way from the projection booth at the Hayman Planetarium, isn't it?" Sue asked smiling. Uncle Reed had taken Lisa to the Hayman Planetarium a couple of times since Lisa had come to live with him so she knew what Sue was talking about.

"Yes. Yes it is," Uncle Reed said. Sue turned to face them, looking down at Lisa.

"Lisa, you will be bunking with me. I'll show you where to stow your stuff," Sue changing the subject.

"Thank you, but I'd rather sleep by myself if you don't mind," Lisa said, following Sue down the corridor. She looked back at her uncle. He was looking outside again, apparently not realizing that she had problems with sharing a room.

"Why?" Sue wanted to know.

"Look, don't tell Uncle Reed. When my father used to drink he'd hit me with a belt. It left bruises and scars that never healed on me. Uncle Reed knows that my father hit me. He doesn't know that I still have the injuries. I couldn't bring myself to tell him. He's mad enough at my dad without my telling him that. That's why I didn't want to share a room. If you see them you might tell him," Lisa said, putting her bag down on the camp cot that had been provided for her.

"All right. If you don't want me to tell your uncle I won't. But I think you should. Your father's been dead for two years. How long will you let him torture you this way? Reed loves you. He'd understand about this," Sue said, a compassionate look on her face.

"Thank you. I knew I liked you," Lisa said, changing the subject.

"You're welcome. Would you like to come to the bridge with me so you can see what we're doing?" Sue asked as Lisa followed her out the door.

"I'd like to, but Uncle Reed said I had to entertain myself," Lisa protested.

"I'll tell your uncle and Victor that I said you could watch what we do," Sue said as the door to the bridge opened and Uncle Reed, Victor, and Ben watched as they entered.

"So, what's this place for, Sue?" Lisa asked her brown eyes on a piece of machinery that was like one of the ones in her uncle's lab.

"We can monitor the cloud's approach and observe the tests from her," Sue said, as they walked around the bridge.

"Is it safe?" Uncle Ben asked, adjusting the collar of his jacket.

"The shields on the space station should protect us," Uncle Reed said, wrapping his arm around Lisa's shoulders and looking around.

"Should?" Uncle Ben asked skeptically.

"What's the matter, Ben? Getting paranoid in your old age?" Victor asked in a teasing tone.

"Let's start loading those samples. Lisa, I think it's time you left," Reed reminded her gently, saving Uncle Ben from answering Victor.

"Okay, Uncle Reed. Oh, Uncle Ben, if the shields don't protect us I'll tell you," Lisa said, swallowing back laughter.

"Uh-huh. Not funny! You're worse than Johnny!" Uncle Ben shot back.

Lisa started to laugh as she walked away. She loved teasing Uncle Ben sometimes. The faces he made were so funny! She walked back to her room, ready to get lost in the history project that was due when she got back to school.

&

30 minutes later a loud siren and airlock sounded in Lisa's ear. She put her book down and ran towards the lab her uncle used. Sue had pointed it out as they had gone to the bridge and Lisa was glad she remembered where it was. Uncle Reed was watching out a viewport and looked in her direction. "I thought you were reading," Uncle Reed said, hugging her tightly.

"I was until I heard the airlock. So, what's all this, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked, looking at the plants on a table.

"Just another science project. If you're gonna stay in here with me you might as well sit," Uncle Reed said, picking up his clipboard and writing as he looked at a purplish plant.

"Uncle Reed, do you like Sue?" Lisa asked. Usually Lisa could talk to Uncle Reed while he worked. He was good at answering questions while he was busy working.

"What do you mean?" Uncle Reed asked, his pen scratching away on the paperwork.

"She was looking at you. I think she thinks you're hot!" Lisa said, causing Uncle Reed to look up.

"I don't think she was thinking that. And keep your little nose out of it, Lisa Richards," Uncle Reed said, tweaking her nose gently.

A beep from a console went off, causing Uncle Reed to look at it. His face turned to that of alarm. "That can't be right," Reed said, looking at the screen.

"Uncle Reed, what's wrong?" Lisa asked.

"Event threshold in t-minus 9 minutes 47 seconds," a computer said, answering Lisa's question.

"That's impossible. It should be 7 hours," Reed said typing, a look of fear on his face.

"Uncle Reed, you're scaring me," Lisa said, her voice trembling.

Uncle Reed looked at her, a grim look on his face as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they ran to the observation deck. The way it looked Victor had been proposing to Sue, but it was not easy to tell as Uncle Reed and Lisa ran in.

"The cloud's accelerating! We have minutes until it hits. Not hours. Victor, that cloud is deadly. We need to abort," Uncle Reed ordered sharply. Lisa had rarely heard him talk like this. What was coming had to be dangerous if her uncle was freaking out.

"Get a grip, Reed. We didn't come all this way to lose our nerve at the first glitch. Just close the shields," Victor said the voice of calm.

"Ben is still out there," Uncle Reed said his voice still urgent.

"What?" Lisa asked.

"So reel him in. We came here to do a job. So let's do it," Victor said. Victor was calm. Too calm. Lisa looked at her uncle to see his response. Apparently he had none. He took Lisa's hand and pulled her down the corridor.

"Ben, you need to get inside now!" Uncle Reed ordered sharply as they ran down the corridor.

"What's wrong?" Johnny asked.

"I ain't done arranging your flowers yet, Egghead," Ben's voice came calmly over the communicator.

"Ben, turn around," Uncle Reed ordered as they reached Johnny in the airlock. It was then that Lisa saw the cloud Uncle Reed was worried about.

"Uncle Reed, is that it?" Lisa asked. The cloud was like orange fire mixed with rocks and gravel.

"Guys, I'm not gonna make it," Ben said, apparently noticing the cloud before Uncle Reed could answer Lisa's question.

"Then you gotta jump. It's the only way," Johnny said. Reed and Lisa looked at him and then Ben.

"Come on, Uncle Ben! Hurry!" Lisa screamed, watching the fire get closer.

"All right, Lisa, Johnny. Get out of the way," Reed said, pushing both aside.

Ben had made it through just as the cloud hit him in the back and went through the station. Ben collapsed just short of getting in outside the hatch door.

Lisa's last conscious moment was watching the cloud as it hit Reed and Johnny and came right towards her. She felt her body slam into the wall behind her and her world went dark.

**A/N: As all of you can see she was in the accident in space, but I'm trying to figure out her power. So if any of you can think of a better one than freezing things I'd be glad to know. I'm open to suggestion.**


	4. Waking Up

Chapter 4- Waking Up

Chapter 4- Waking Up

**A/N: I finally figured out what power I wanted her to have. I went through all the freaks of the show "Smallville" that I watch and had a list made deciding on the two that I liked best. She's going to have two powers that are going to be interesting and not used much in a lot of stories**

**&**

Reed was the first to come back to consciousness, followed by Sue and Johnny. Reed looked over at the doorway. Victor stood there, watching the rubble.

"Ben," was the first word out of Reed's mouth. Reed, Sue, and Johnny went to Ben and Reed took off the helmet. They all stared in surprised shock. Ben looked dazed and rock dust was on his face.

"He's still alive," Sue commented with a sigh of relief, which Reed definitely felt. The relief was short-lived though.

"Lisa," Reed gasped and looked around for his ten-year-old niece. Lisa lay crumpled in a heap. Reed ran to her and took her prone body in his arms. He knew he probably shouldn't have moved her until he knew for certain how serious her injuries were.

"Lisa, wake up," Reed said, touching Lisa's neck to see if she had a pulse. To his great relief Lisa whimpered softly in pain.

&

Lisa felt a sharp pain as she opened her eyes; which felt heavy as if sand weighed down each eyelid. Lisa looked over, without moving her head, and saw her uncle, holding her hand in his, his face pressed against it and dozing lightly.

Lisa moaned quietly. Thankfully Uncle Reed was a light sleeper. He woke up, looking at her. "Lisa, are you all right?" Uncle Reed asked, pushing strands of her hair out of her eyes. The look on his face was one of concern.

"Uncle Reed, I'm still alive?" Lisa asked. Uncle Reed smiled and picked her up gently, kissing her forehead.

"Silly question. Of course you're still alive," Uncle Reed said, smoothing her long dark hair back.

"What happened?" Lisa asked.

"The cloud hit all of us. When I came to I checked on Ben and then you. I can't tell you my relief when I heard you cry," Uncle Reed said, laying her back on the pillow and stroking her face gently.

"How's the patient?" Sue asked, coming into the room, a bright smile on her face.

"All right I guess. I feel like someone hit me with a truck," Lisa said, attempting to sit up. She managed it, her head spinning like a top briefly.

"Close. You hit the wall of the space station," Uncle Reed pointed out.

"How're everyone else? Johnny and Uncle Ben?" Lisa asked.

"They're fine. Johnny was the first awake. Ben woke up a few minutes ago. You are the last one to wake up," Sue said, smoothing Lisa's dark hair like her uncle had done a few minutes ago.

"How long was I asleep, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked, looking at her uncle.

"Three days. You were asleep for so long I was worried that I'd lost you," Uncle Reed said.

Lisa then noticed her arms. They had dressed her in a hospital gown with the sleeves cut off at the elbow. What she saw-or didn't see- alarmed her. Two days before her arms had hideous bruises from her shoulders to her wrists. Judging from the lower arms it looked as if she had never been beaten by her father. All the bruises looked as if they had vanished completely.

Lisa gasped and sat up straight, looking in shock at her arms. She was willing to bet that her legs looked the same. "Lisa, what's wrong?" Uncle Reed asked his brown eyes full of concern.

Lisa looked at Sue. "Before I answer that, Sue, do you remember when I told you that I didn't want to share a room?" Lisa asked nervously.

"Yes. You said it was for personal and private reasons that would make a certain someone angry," Sue said, looking at Uncle Reed while she answered.

"Well, I think now we can tell him. Uncle Reed, my father used to hit me," Lisa said, turning to her uncle.

"I know that, Lisa. You backed away from me tat first day like you were afraid of me. I thought that your father had done something that hurt you where you were afraid of everyone," Uncle Reed said, cupping her face.

"That was true, but there's more. My father used to hit me with his belt so hard that it formed bruises. Uncle Reed, I think when I got hit by the cloud some of the bruises healed. I don't see them on my arms. They went from my shoulders to my wrists. I'm also pretty sure the bruises on my legs are gone too," Lisa said, feeling relieved that the bruises were gone.

"Why didn't you tell me two years ago?" Uncle Reed asked his face a little hard.

"I don't know. I thought you'd be mad at Daddy for doing it in the first place," Lisa said in a tiny voice.

"I am angry at Scott for doing all of that to you, but, Lisa, I'm disappointed more that you hid this from me. I'd prefer you telling me the truth. How am I ever gonna know when my little girl tells me the truth?" Uncle Reed asked, stroking her hair gently.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Reed," Lisa said, throwing her arms around Reed's neck. She knew Uncle Reed had forgiven her for lying to him, but it would be awhile before she got used to the fact that the cloud had healed the bruises.

&

Reed stood outside, watching Lisa take her first steps, two days later, followed by Sue. "How long was I out?" Ben's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Three days. Man, I was worried about you and Lisa both. How do you feel?" Reed asked as he and Ben hugged.

"Solid. A close one, huh? What was that about?" Ben asked good-naturedly.

"I don't know. I really don't know. I've been going over the figures again and again since Lisa told me that the cloud made all the leftover bruises on her arms and legs that Scott had given her go away. They all add up. But you don't understand. Maybe I should have aborted-"Reed said, knowing he was rambling.

"Reed, it was a freak of nature. You couldn't have possibly predicted it. Let it go. Think instead of about how Lisa will never see those bruises on her arms and legs again. That's a good thing that coming out of it," Ben said.

Ben was right, of course. Lisa would never have to see the bruises again, but Reed still felt like he could have stopped the storm from hurting her worse.

"You know, you live through something like this it really makes you appreciate having the right woman in your life," Ben said, changing the subject.

"Yeah. You and Debbie are perfect," Reed said, glad not to be talking about the accident.

"I'm not talking about Debbie," Ben said, looking towards Sue who was laughing with Lisa.

"What? C'mon! She's got a good thing with Victor. He's smart. He's powerful. He's successful," Reed said.

"Who are you trying to convince me or yourself? Reed, you need to give Lisa a mother figure. You aren't enough. A girl needs a mother," Ben said.

"Ben, she ended up with the right guy. Things worked out for the best," Reed said, clapping Ben's shoulder.

"Do I have to do everything myself?" Ben asked as Reed walked away. If Reed had known what Ben was planning he wouldn't have seen the humor in what was going to happen next at all.


	5. A little Deception and Newfound Powers

Chapter 5- A little Deception and Newfound Powers

Chapter 5- A little Deception and Newfound Powers

**A/N: This is the chapter where Lisa gets her first power. The second will come later on the bridge when they try to help Ben in a later chapter. I hope y'all like the first one that I picked.**

**&**

Ben watched as Sue and Lisa came down the hallway, laughing. Lisa was in a good mood and her brown eyes lit up when she saw him.

"Uncle Ben!" Lisa squealed, hugging him tightly.

"How ya feeling, Sweetie?" Ben asked, cupping her face gently.

"Okay, I guess. The headaches and dizzy spells from yesterday are all gone. I hadn't felt that dizzy since my father knocked me down a flight of stairs two weeks before I came to live with Uncle Reed," Lisa said casually.

"And you lived through that?" Ben asked incredulously. It didn't cease to amaze him that Lisa could live through Scott Richard's eight years of abuse and tell about it.

"Yeah. I'm here aren't I? If I could live through a cosmic cloud knocking me into a wall, I can survive my father," Lisa said.

"So, Ben, how do you feel?" Sue asked, changing the subject.

"Solid. Reed sent me to ask if you'd join us for dinner. You can join us for dinner too, Lisa," Ben said, feeling a little guilty for his deception, but Reed and Susie were perfect for each other. No matter what Reed said about Victor and Susie Ben could see that Susie still loved Reed.

"Reed really wants me to come?" Sue asked skeptically.

"He told me that he did," Ben said. Sue then left to fix her hair for dinner.

"Uncle Ben, did Uncle Reed really say he wanted her to come for dinner?" Lisa asked the look on her young face amused.

"No, not really. I only know that your uncle and Susie still love each other. I think they'll forgive my little ruse," Ben said. Lisa started to laugh.

"If they don't Uncle Reed is going to kill you for this," Lisa said, giggling.

"Not if you don't say anything," Ben warned.

"Don't worry, Cupid. I want a front row seat for this," Lisa said, a big grin on her face.

&

Lisa, Sue, and Uncle Ben came into the commissary. "I can only stay for awhile. Then I have to meet Victor," Sue said.

"Ahh! We don't want to keep Vic waiting," Uncle Ben said sarcastically.

"That would be a tragedy," Lisa said, rolling her eyes. If Uncle Ben was going to be Cupid, Lisa might as well help him out.

"Reed, what are you doing here?" Uncle Ben asked, changing the subject as Uncle Reed came to them.

"I thought-" Uncle Reed started then stopped himself, a confused look on his face as he looked at Sue.

"Great! Maybe you could join us," Uncle Ben said, stepping in between Sue and Uncle Reed.

Uncle Reed looked at Lisa, who felt like she was practically turning purple, trying not to laugh. She wasn't having much success. "You had nothing to do with this, I hope," Uncle Reed said, wrapping his arm around Lisa and whispering softly.

"It was Uncle Ben's idea," Lisa whispered back.

"I should be furious. The last thing I need is my ten-year-old niece trying out her matchmaking skills, but I'm glad you're feeling better," Uncle Reed said, hugging her tightly in one arm.

&

Apparently Sue forgot, after an hour, about meeting Victor. Pretty soon Sue was laughing with Uncle Ben and Uncle Reed over jokes that didn't particularly interest Lisa. Lisa just kept her head down and ate her bacon cheeseburger and French fries.

Uncle Ben stopped abruptly and touched his chest. "Uncle Ben?" Lisa asked, gripping his arm gently as he burped slightly.

"Wow," Sue exclaimed.

"Are you all right?" Uncle Reed asked a concerned look on his face. It was the same one he had given Lisa when he found out about her bruises.

"Bad shrimp. I think I better go lie down. Excuse me," Uncle Ben said, getting up.

"Uncle Ben, are you sure?" Lisa asked

His only answer to that was moans. "Uncle Reed, is Uncle Ben gonna be okay?" Lisa asked, turning to her uncle.

"I'm sure he will be, Lisa. Remember, we just went through a hard thing," Uncle Reed said, stroking her face gently.

An awkward moment filled the room as Sue and Uncle Reed looked at each other with uncomfortable laughs and smiles.

"So, you're feeling better?" Uncle Reed asked a few minutes later.

"Yes. Thank you," Sue said with a fake, cheery smile.

"Good. That's good," Uncle Reed said, taking a drink.

"You know, you two are really great with the small talk. This is about as awkward as my first night living with you Uncle Reed," Lisa said, rolling her eyes.

"You know something, Lisa, you're right. You always did have a way with words, Reed," Sue said. A few more moments of awkward silence passed. Sue looked down at her watch. "Wow. I should be going. I have to go meet Victor. I'm glad you're feeling better, Lisa," Sue said, starting to get up.

"I'm really happy for you and Victor," Uncle Reed said in a rush.

"You're really happy for me and Victor?" Sue asked, smiling as she sat back down.

"I can tell you guys are enjoying what was the best part of our relationship," Uncle Reed said, confirming what Lisa had suspected on that first day.

"Which was?" Sue asked.

"Passion," Uncle Reed said. "For science." That statement ruined it for him. Lisa rolled her eyes and she could tell that Sue was upset.

"You are such a dork, Reed. You never got it and you never will," Sue said her voice low. Lisa would have laughed at Sue calling Uncle Reed a dork, but the look on her face wasn't funny.

"What did I say?" Uncle Reed asked confused.

"I'll just explain it to you in quantum physics," Sue shot back snidely.

"I just wanted you to know that I was-" Uncle Reed started to say.

"It's been two years and all you can say is that you're happy for me and some other guy? Victor may be a lot of things, but at least he's not afraid to fight for what he wants. It's nice to be wanted sometimes, Reed," Sue said. Lisa's eyes widened as she looked at Sue while she talked. Sue was becoming difficult to see! Then she was gone! It was like she had become invisible and all they could see were her clothes sitting up to indicate that Sue was still there and apparently Sue wasn't aware of what was wrong. "Too be seen and heard," Sue finally said, becoming visible and invisible again.

Uncle Reed sat quietly, looking at his plate and not Sue. "Look at me," Sue ordered.

Uncle Reed finally looked up, the shock that Lisa felt crossing his face. "I can't," Uncle Reed said.

"What do you mean you can't? Look at me!" Sue said angrily.

"Sue, look at your hands," Uncle Reed and Lisa said at the same time.

Sue must have held her hands up and looked. She gasped and knocked a bottle of wine over. Uncle Reed and Lisa both reached and grabbed it at the same time. Lisa's eyes widened as she saw her uncle's arm stretched out like rubber. Lisa then looked in shock as she looked down and realized she had gone through the table and was standing on the other side of it. It was as if matter had changed. Uncle Reed and Sue looked at each other and then at Lisa as she stepped through the table again and to her seat.

"Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked, feeling freaked as she sat. Johnny came running in before Uncle Reed could say anything.

"Hey, you guys, you are never going to believe what just happened to me," Johnny said.

"I think we can, Johnny," Uncle Reed said as they all stood and he wrapped his arm around Lisa's shoulders.

"I set myself on fire," Johnny said simply.

"Uncle Reed, what's happening to us?" Lisa asked, laying her head on Uncle Reed's chest.

"I don't know, Lise. Let's go check on Ben. Whatever is happening to us I'm sure is happening to him," Uncle Reed said and they all left the dining room. Lisa hoped Uncle Ben was all right. Little did she know that wasn't right.


	6. Looking For Ben

Chapter 6- Looking For Ben

Chapter 6- Looking For Ben

They went through the doors that led to the rooms they slept in, Uncle Reed and Sue talking the whole time. "It has to be the cloud. It has fundamentally altered our DNA," Sue said.

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Uncle Reed warned.

"Uncle Reed, I'm scared. I'm walking through tables. What if I stay this way?" Lisa asked in a small voice.

"Lisa, we're going to figure out what's wrong. Just hang in there," Uncle Reed said, gripping her hand in his as they walked. "We need a massive amount of evidence before making that leap," Uncle Reed said before Johnny yelped in surprise.

Uncle Reed, Sue and Lisa turned to look at him."Hey guys, look," Johnny was snapping his fingers and a flame came out of his thumb.

"Wow! That is way cool!" Lisa exclaimed, forgetting momentarily how weird it was too.

"I know. Now picture that, Shorty, but everywhere. What?" Johnny asked, looking at Uncle Reed, Sue, and Lisa's surprised faces. Sue and Lisa then turned to look at Uncle Reed.

"The cloud's fundamentally altered our DNA," Uncle Reed said in agreement with Sue.

Johnny started laughing gleefully at that as if he liked the idea that the cloud had made them all different. "Cool!" Johnny exclaimed. "You know what, Guys, I think I was flying."

"Really?" Lisa asked. Flying would be cooler than walking through matter or Johnny's ability to set himself on fire.

"We need to find Ben," Uncle Reed said, fixing Lisa with a stern look. Apparently Uncle Ben was more important than the new powers. This was her uncle's way of saying that they'd sort out the powers they had gotten later.

&

The closer they got to Uncle Ben's room, Johnny started to get annoying. "Put it out, Johnny," Sue said, without even looking at him. Johnny kept snapping his fingers to look at the flames.

"This is really cool!" Johnny said. Lisa grabbed his arm, finally fed up.

"Look, you may not think about this, but I don't want to be like this for the rest of my life. SO KNOCK IT OFF!" Lisa shouted.

Uncle Reed turned to look at her, shocked. Lisa wasn't normally that vocal in her opinions. "Ben, open up!" Uncle Reed ordered, pounding on Uncle Ben's door, deciding to ignore Lisa.

"Johnny, Lisa's right. Stop," Sue said, turning a fierce glare on Johnny.

"All right," Johnny said.

"All right?" Sue asked.

"Yes," Johnny said sarcastically.

"Gosh!" Sue exclaimed.

"Gosh!" Johnny exclaimed back, apparently deciding to play shadow.

"What is wrong with you?" Sue asked exasperated.

"What?" Johnny asked, pretending to be clueless.

"Do you know the code?" Uncle Reed asked, stopping the sibling fight before Johnny and Sue came to blows. Lisa, Sue, and Johnny ran to the door and looked through the glass. A figure on a bed, covered in a blanket, was writhing and groaning.

"Hey, Ben, open up!" Uncle Reed shouted as he and Johnny pounded on the door. The bed then snapped and hit the floor. "Are you all right, Ben?" Uncle Reed asked, a concerned look in his eyes.

"Don't you have keys for these controls?" Johnny asked, running down the hall as Sue tried to open the door by the control panel.

"Maybe I can unlock it, Uncle Reed. If the table is any indication I can go through the door," Lisa offered.

"Not yet. I have an idea," Uncle Reed said, lifting his hand and looking at it.

Uncle Reed got down on his knees and put his hand to the bottom of the door. His fingers flattened and stretched like rubber as they went through the crack in the door. Judging by the look on his face Uncle Reed was shocked.

Johnny, Sue, and Lisa stood with open mouths as he unlocked the door and pulled his hand out.

"That was so weird, Uncle Reed," Lisa breathed softly.

"No, not weird, Shorty. That's gross," Johnny said, getting a sour look from Uncle Reed. Before he could say anything a loud crack startled them all. Lisa walked through the wall as Uncle Reed opened the door.

Loud sirens echoed through the room. Uncle Ben?" Lisa asked, going to a large hole in the wall.

"Look! Look! Look! Look! Look!" Johnny indicated the hole. "What's that?" Johnny asked as they saw a figure running.

"What's going on?" A sharp voice caused them to turn. It was Victor von Doom. "What happened in here?" Victor asked, looking at the hole.

"Victor, are you feeling all right?" Sue asked, concerned.

"I'm fine. Just a few scrapes that's all," Victor said casually.

"Ben did this. He's had some kind of reaction from exposure to the cloud," Uncle Reed said. A slightly dazed look entered Victor's eyes.

"We all have different symptoms," Sue said.

"Different symptoms?" Victor asked, looking at each of them in turn.

"Victor, um, I should have-" Sue started to say.

"Just find him," Victor said in a low voice as he turned away.

Sue looked as if she were going to cry. "Anybody got any ideas where the big guy's going?" Johnny asked, changing the subject.

Uncle Reed and Lisa both looked down. The picture of Ben and Debbie was on the floor. Lisa picked up the picture, handing it to Uncle Reed.

"He's going home," Uncle Reed said, taking the picture from Lisa.

&

They spent all night searching. The next day they all sat in a cab, Johnny up front and Reed, Lisa, and Sue in the back. Lisa was close to felling asleep, her head against Reed's shoulder.

"Could we be going any slower?" Lisa asked listlessly.

"Lisa, practice a little patience," Reed said sternly, instantly regretting his sharp words. Lisa's face flinched slightly. She didn't normally complain. She was just anxious to find Ben.

"Sorry, Uncle Reed," Lisa murmured softly.

"So, where are your parents, Shorty?" Johnny asked Lisa, changing the subject.

"I don't like talking about them if you don't mind," lisa said, her voice low as they got to the Brooklyn Bridge.

"Johnny, leave her alone. She's been through enough," Sue warned.

"I don't think it's like she was abused or anything," Johnny said.

Lisa's face went pale and Reed hugged her tightly. "Johnny, Lisa was abused. Her father used to beat her from the time she was born until she came to live with me after he died. Johnny, she was hurt so badly she thought I was going to hurt her the same way," Uncle Reed said.

'That's why finding Uncle Ben is so important. Uncle Ben helped me those first few days. He helped me realize that not all men are like my father. I want to help him like he helped me," Lisa said in a small voice.

No one had an answer to that as the driver of the taxi hit his brakes when a truck blocked his way.


	7. The Beginning of the Fantastic Four

Chapter 7-

Chapter 7-

**A/N: This is the chapter where Lisa's second power comes in and if I cut things out or you see Fantastic Five don't be alarmed. When the story's over it'll still be the Fantastic Four since Lisa's only ten and because of her age she will be in another area when Sue tries her humiliating vanishing act on the bridge. **

**&**

Lisa got out of the car feeling perplexed and wondering what happened, along with a little relieved that she wouldn't have to talk anymore about her father. Uncle Reed and the others got out as well, looking as confused as Lisa felt as all the cars on the bridge had stopped.

Lisa, Sue, Uncle Reed, and Johnny made their way through the crowd of people that had formed and were standing outside a police barricade. The police weren't letting anyone through.

"What do we do?" Sue asked Uncle Reed.

"We're not going to get past those guys," Uncle Reed said, looking towards the barricade.

"But I can, Uncle Reed. I can go through solid objects," Lisa said, looking towards the police cars.

"Shorty's right. If anyone can get through she can. She's small enough. They won't notice her," Johnny said, taking Lisa's side.

"All right. As soon as you get through you wait for us," Uncle Reed said, touching her face gently.

"Sure. I just hope this isn't just limited to tables," Lisa muttered under her breath as she walked towards the first police car. Lisa took a deep breath as if she were going to jump in a pool and walked through the car as if it wasn't there.

&

Lisa hopped off the hood of a car as Uncle Reed and Sue made it through the barricade ten minutes later. It was hard not to get involved when she heard gunshots or start running when Johnny had made it through and he shot out flames.

Judging from her tone Sue was angry at Uncle Reed. Again. "We got through didn't we?" Uncle Reed asked in clipped tones as he gripped Lisa's hand and pulled her along.

"Let's just find Uncle Ben," Lisa said before Sue could come out with another comment. Lisa practically ran to keep up with her uncle.

It took only ten seconds for them to spot Uncle Ben. The sight of him didn't prepare them for the shock. He looked like a giant rock quarry!

"Uncle Ben!" Lisa screamed, which was a big mistake. His name came out like a large sonic burst, shattering every window and windshield on every car. Everyone, except Uncle Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Uncle Ben were the only ones not affected by her scream. Everyone else covered their ears; their voices raised in panic.

Lisa covered her mouth and looked at Uncle Reed. "Lisa?" Uncle Reed asked.

"I didn't know. I'm sorry," Lisa said, feeling her eyes fill with tears.

"Lisa, don't cry. I know you didn't. It's just another aspect we have to look at when I run the tests. Just calm down. I'm not angry at you," Uncle Reed said, stooping and pulling her into his arms for a tight hug.

Lisa looked at Uncle Ben again as she clung to Uncle Reed. "Uncle Reed, can we help Uncle Ben? I mean, look at him! He looks worse than all of us put together," Lisa said.

"I don't know yet. I don't know if I can even fix what's wrong with you," Uncle Reed said, standing up. Sue and Johnny joined them.

"That was so cool, Shorty!" Johnny said.

"Yeah. Whatever," Lisa said, rolling her eyes as they all looked at Uncle Ben. There were different words Lisa could use to describe her powers. Cool was not one of them. In fact there were a few words she could think of, but she didn't dare use them. Her uncle never punished her like her father did, but Lisa didn't want to tempt him to it by using words she shouldn't.

Ben made his way towards them. Lisa then heard a girl crying for her mother and an explosion. Johnny jumped through the air in a single leap, grabbing the girl and shielding her body with his.

Lisa and Uncle Reed jumped aside as the fire came towards. Sue put up a force field to contain it. Uncle Reed and Lisa watched as a fire truck went through cables and a man nearly fell off. Uncle Ben grabbed the truck and pulled, with difficulty as the ladder broke.

The man lost his grip and fell screaming. Uncle Reed then stretched out and grabbed the man around the waist. He put the man on the ground and looked him and then Lisa.

Lisa looked over at Uncle Ben as he put the fire truck down, breathing hard. "This is the police. Get down on the ground," a squad of policemen circled Uncle Ben, pointing guns at him.

They were stopped from shooting him as the crowd on the bridge applauded. "Ben!" Uncle Reed exclaimed as they tried to get through the policemen. Uncle Ben turned to look at them, and then his gaze fell on Debbie.

The crowd went quiet as Uncle Ben looked at Debbie, who looked torn. Uncle Ben walked towards her, stopping when she shook her head. She pulled off her engagement ring and laid it on the street, not giving Uncle Ben a backward glance as she walked away.

Lisa looked up at Uncle Reed and then Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben reached to pick up the ring and found he couldn't. Lisa broke away from Uncle Reed and picked up the ring, handing it to him.

"Lisa," Uncle Ben said.

"I'm so sorry, Uncle Ben," Lisa said, touching his shoulder.

"You're not afraid of how I look," Uncle Ben said. It was a statement not a question.

"Of course not. Once two years ago you helped me when I was afraid of everyone in general. I want to help you," Lisa said, feeling tears in her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Uncle Reed.

Uncle Ben stood, looking at Uncle Reed. "I swear to you. I will do everything in my power-until there is not a breath left in me. You're going to be Ben again," Uncle Reed promised. Little did anyone know that promise would be difficult to keep.

&

Lisa sat next to Ben as a doctor cleaned Sue's arm that had been burned. Ben was listless as he held Debbie's engagement ring in his hand.

"Where are you're ears?" Johnny asked, causing Ben and Lisa to look up at him. Before Ben could answer a policeman came in the tent.

"There are some folks outside. They want to talk to you. Especially to the little one with the vibrating scream," the man said, looking at Reed.

Reed looked at his niece and then back at the police chief. "We're not going public with this. We're scientists and one little girl; not celebrities," Reed said sternly.

"It's too late, Son. Look," the man said, flipping on the TV in the tent. The chaos they were in was all over the news. "See that," the man said as Ben filled the screen.

They all stood, watching the TV. "One of the five stretched to an amazing length," the TV blared with the headline on the bottom calling them the Fantastic Five.

"That's what they're calling you. The Fantastic Five," the policeman said.

"This is so cool!" Johnny said, turning to leave.

"No! Wait! Where are you going?" Sue asked as Reed rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"I'm gonna go talk to them," Johnny said.

"No. We should think this through. Reed, do we want to do this? Do you want to sacrifice Lisa's privacy?" Sue asked.

"I'm with her, Uncle Reed. I'm not sure I want the attention," Lisa said quietly and looking at the TV nervously.

"That's great. That's crazy," Johnny said, leaving the tent. It took a few seconds for them to realize what Johnny was doing. Reed, Sue, and Lisa looked at each other and ran after him.

"Johnny," Sue whispered violently as Johnny held up his hands to the crowd.

"Can you believe this?" Johnny asked as the crowd kept talking.

"Which one of you is the leader?" The policeman asked.

"That'd be me," Johnny said. Lisa stepped on his foot hard to shut him up as the policeman looked towards him.

"No, seriously," the policeman said.

Reed stepped forward, Lisa stepping with him, holding his arm tightly. "All right, Son, you're on," the policeman said, stepping away. They all stuck mikes in Reed's direction and he grinned briefly at them.

"During our recent mission to the von Doom space station we were exposed to as yet to be identified radioactive energy," Reed said, all levity gone from his voice.

"What happened out there? How do you stretch and the little one screams like that? Is it true you can fly?" Questions came in rapid succession; the last one for Johnny.

"I'm working on it. Actually-" Johnny started to say.

"Actually we do not know much more than you do at this point, but we are going directly to our lab to diagnose our symptoms," Sue said, the voice of calm.

"Is it a contagious disease?" A news reporter asked nervously.

"No. No. No. No. It's not a contagious disease," Johnny said, getting looks from Reed, Sue, and Lisa. If having special powers is a disease then, yeah, we got it bad," Johnny said in a cocky tone.

"Excuse me? That thing doesn't look so fantastic," a newsman said, indicating Ben as he came forward.

"Ben Grimm is a genuine American hero," Reed argued.

"What he means is every team needs a mascot," Johnny said, flinging his arms around Ben and Reed's shoulders.

"Johnny," Lisa and Sue said at once.

"A new day is dawning. The day of the Fantastic Five," Johnny bragged.

"Let's just try the Fantastic Four for awhile. I don't know if I want to do this yet," Lisa said, practically hiding behind Reed.

"Come on! Live a little, Shorty!" Johnny said. Reed knew he had to say something for Lisa's sake as much as theirs.

"Look, we went up to space to find a way to understand DNA; cure disease; save lives. Now it is our DNA. Our disease; our lives on the line. Thank you. No more questions," Reed said, taking Lisa's hand and walking away; followed by the others.

"That's telling them, Uncle Reed," Lisa said, a relieved look in her brown eyes.

"Reed, I don't think they'll stop trying to interview us," Sue said, gesturing towards the reporters.

"You're probably right, but I had to try to get them to leave us alone. If not for us, then for Lisa. She's been through too much to be hounded by the paparazzi because of her powers," Reed said as he Sue, Johnny, and Lisa got into a police car and Ben in a van.

"So what do we do know, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked.

"We go to my lab and we try to find a cure," Reed said, little knowing that it wasn't going to be easy.


	8. Coming Home and Von Doom's Arrival

There was a large crowd in front to the Baxter Building as they pulled up in front

There was a large crowd in front to the Baxter Building as they pulled up in front. "I don't think they got your hint, Uncle Reed, to leave us alone," Lisa said, grabbing a thick handful of Uncle Reed's jacket.

"No, I guess not. Lisa, don't say anything to them and stay close to me," Uncle Reed warned, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as the police opened the doors letting them out.

"Okay. Uncle Reed, just don't let them near me. I'm afraid they are going to pick me apart," Lisa said as they got out of the car. The crowd was cheering at them, but Lisa hid her face in Uncle Reed's chest so she wouldn't have to look at them.

"Is that all for you, Dr. Richards?" The doorman asked as the entered the lobby of the building.

"I'm afraid so," Uncle Reed said ruefully. They made their way to the elevators; the sound of the people cheering getting muffled.

A postman walked up to them. "Welcome back to the Baxter, Dr. Richards. I got the usual for you and the book your niece ordered on stained glass windows. Good to have you back, Sir," the man said, handing Uncle Reed a pile of envelopes and Lisa a package.

"Thanks," Uncle Reed said, flipping through the pile. They all had the words '**FINAL NOTICE**' written on them. Uncle Reed looked up at Sue, a slightly embarrassed look on his face. "We had a tough year," Uncle Reed said as he and Lisa got into the elevator.

"Yeah. Nine straight," Uncle Ben said sarcastically as he, Sue, and Johnny joined them in the elevator. Uncle Reed pressed a button, but for some reason they didn't move.

"Either we're moving really fast or not at all," Johnny commented. The door rang open with a flashing sign that stated the obvious. "**EXCEED MAXIMUM WEIGHT!"**

They all looked at Uncle Ben who was looking uncomfortable. "I'll take the stairs," Uncle Ben said, stepping out of the elevator.

"Uncle Ben, I can come with you," Lisa volunteered, stepping forward.

"No. You can go with them. I'll be fine," Uncle Ben said, walking away before Lisa said anything else.

"Lisa, he wants to be alone," Uncle Reed said.

"I know, but I feel sorry for him, Uncle Reed," Lisa said, looking up at her uncle.

"I know, but I did promise to help him. We'll get Ben back, Lisa," Uncle Reed said, hugging her.

"How come Ben can't turn it off and on like we can?" Johnny asked, changing the subject.

"That's what we're here to find out," Uncle Reed said.

"I mean if it happened to him-"Sue started to say.

"What? Like we won't be able to turn it off either? That'll save time," Johnny said with a short laugh.

Lisa rolled her eyes. "You are such an idiot," Lisa said under her breath.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Johnny asked.

"I think I know what Lisa means. You don't really want to walk around on fire for the rest of your life, do you?" Sue asked.

"Is that a trick question?" Johnny asked back.

"Grow up," Sue retorted.

"Funny you'd tell me that and not Shorty here," Johnny said, looking at Lisa.

"I've already done all the growing that I want. The worst thing about having your father nearly knock you senseless is that you never get to be a child. You grow up fast," Lisa said quietly.

Uncle Reed's arms tightened around her shoulders as he hugged her and looked at Johnny. "You may not care, Johnny, but my niece can't live like this. I need to find a cure for her sake and Ben's," Uncle Reed said.

"Who thinks of this for a career?" Johnny said, ignoring Uncle Reed's comment by insulting him. The elevator opened and they walked out.

"We should stay here until we can define the extent of our changes and figure out how to reverse them," Uncle Reed said, tossing the mail on a table and walking towards the lab.

"Whoah!" Johnny exclaimed as they followed Uncle Reed into his lab.

"Believe it or not he and Lisa live here," Sue said, amused.

"But I have to warn you, it's going to be a little crowded in some areas," Uncle Reed said, while removing his coat in the small office he used. Johnny laughed in surprise.

"So what do you think?" Uncle Reed asked, coming out of his office and rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

"I don't know, Reed. I think you might be bringing your work home with you," Johnny said, getting a laugh from Uncle Reed.

"C'mon, let me show you where you guys'll be staying," Uncle Reed said, clapping Johnny's shoulder.

"Busy guy," Lisa heard Johnny mutter to Sue.

"C'mon. You can bunk with me, Sue. I don't have any bruises to worry about you seeing," Lisa said as they followed Uncle Reed and Johnny.

"Are you sure?" Sue asked.

"Positive. You can have my bed and I'll get a camp cot brought in," Lisa said.

"You don't have to do that," Sue said, a kind smile on her face.

"I don't mind. I just hope you don't mind all the books I have cluttered all over the place," Lisa said as she stepped into her room.

"Not really," Sue said as Lisa began to clean up all the books on the floor and put them on a desk Uncle Reed had given her.

"Great. If you want to clean up while I clean my room, the shower's over there," Lisa said, putting some books on a bookshelf.

"I'll do that," Sue said, walking towards the shower. Lisa didn't know if this would work with all of them living together, but it should prove interesting.

&

Lisa walked down the hallway with trash when she heard voices coming from Uncle Reed's room.

"Susan, I think you should let the doctors have a look at you," Victor von Doom's voice came out of the room.

Uncle Reed came down the hallway, sheets in his hands. "Lisa, what are you doing?" Uncle Reed asked, hugging her briefly.

"Wondering what Mr.von Doom is doing here," Lisa said, looking towards the door.

"That's a good question. Victor, what are you doing here?" Uncle Reed asked, keeping his voice polite as he and Lisa walked into the room.

"I'm starting to wonder the same thing. How much do you know about what happened to you?" Victor asked, changing the subject.

"Not much. We need to run tests to see the damage," Uncle Reed said.

"Well, you let me know what I can do. We're all in this together," Victor said, sounding generous.

Uncle Reed grinned briefly, looking slightly annoyed. Victor left, leaving Sue, Lisa, and Uncle Reed looking at each other.

"Victor, wait!" Uncle Reed said, running after him, Lisa following. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry the mission didn't go as planned," Uncle Reed apologized.

"Didn't go as planned? It was a catastrophe! You ruined the lives of five people!" Victor said in an accusing tone. Lisa grabbed a thick handful of the back of Uncle Reed's shirt, resisting the urge to sock Victor for talking to him like that.

"With all due respect, we're both to blame. I told you to abort," Uncle Reed said, a slight edge to his words.

"Abort? I put my company; my name; billions of dollars on the line. I will not let you make me look like a fool," Victor snapped, looking like he was going to hit Uncle Reed.

"Victor, if we can understand-"Uncle Reed started to say.

"I DON'T WANT TO UNDERSTAND! This isn't one of your science projects. I just want to fix it. Fast," Victor said, the lights flashing on and off. Uncle Reed and Lisa looked up at the ceiling and then at Victor.

"Is there a problem?" Uncle Ben asked, coming into the lab, looking like a strong, rocky bodyguard.

"No. No problem, Ben. Just pay your electric bill and get to work on finding a cure," Victor said as the elevator opened and he left.

"That went well," Lisa said, slipping her arms around Uncle Reed's waist.

"Yeah, if it comes down to it," Uncle Reed said, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"But for what it's worth, Uncle Reed, I don't blame you for this. I was there. You tried to get him to abort," Lisa said.

Uncle Reed smiled at her and hugged her tight. "Thanks, Lise. I needed that. I was actually coming to tell you that I'll test you first. So, if you're ready we can go to my lab now," Uncle Reed said, walking towards his lab, Lisa holding onto his hand.

"Is it going to hurt?" Lisa asked as she sat on a stool.

"I wouldn't think so. I'll have to take blood samples, but that's about it. I hope you don't mind shots," Uncle Reed said as he put on his white lab coat and started the tests.


	9. The Tests

Chapter 9-

Chapter 9-

**A/N: I tried to figure out how to do the tests that Reed runs on everyone with Lisa included. Sue's test is going to be in the next chapter since it's last and I grouped all the scenes of Johnny and Ben together since in the movie they did Johnny, then Sue, then Johnny, then Ben. It was confusing for me to do it in the way of the movie. Also I thought that Sue's test makes the chapter longer than I'd like so that's why I'm putting it in a different chapter.**

**&**

The tests ran for a long time as Uncle Reed and Sue examined each person who had been affected. Lisa really had the powers that weren't as obvious. Her vocal cords had been affected along with every molecule in her body. Uncle Reed had her go through her bedroom door to test that, but it wasn't as bad as Johnny's or Uncle Ben's powers.

Lisa rubbed her sore arms, gently. Uncle Reed had taken more than one sample of her blood and she sported about two or three bandages on each arm and one on each leg. Uncle Reed came towards her with yet another syringe.

"Another shot?" Lisa groaned. She normally didn't complain, but eight or nine samples were almost too much.

"This is the last one, I promise. I need some blood from the muscle in your upper part of your arm. So raise the sleeve and flex your arm," Uncle Reed said, his voice brooking no argument. Rolling her eyes Lisa did as he said, closing her eyes as the needle went into the muscle.

"There! You can open your eyes now, Lisa," Uncle Reed said, cupping her face gently as he put a tray and the needle down on the table.

"Have you found out anything about what kind of powers I have, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked.

"The cloud did something to your vocal cords. I didn't know much until I looked down your throat. You'll just have to be careful with how you talk. Any louder than you're talking now will break the sound barrier. I also need you to scream for me. I need to test the volume and pitch of your voice," Uncle Reed said, stepping over to a complicated machine.

"You want me to scream now?" Lisa asked uncertainly.

"Yes. I just turned the machine on. Whenever you're ready," Uncle Reed said. Opening her mouth she screamed; the sonic boom shattering windows and nearly knocking her off her seat on the stool. Uncle Ben, Sue, and Johnny all came running into the room at the sound and stared in shock.

Lisa looked over at Uncle Reed and the machine as she closed her mouth. "Okay. That went well past the sound barrier. Thank you, Lisa. Just be careful. Considering you shattered all the windows in here your voice is pretty dangerous right now," Uncle Reed said as he turned off the machine.

"Wow! That was so cool, Shorty!" Johnny enthused, thumping her back.

"That depends on the meaning of it being cool. The only thing I can think of is sore throats being a little more common," Lisa said, pushing a strand of long dark hair behind her ear.

"Not necessarily. With your vocal cords stretched taut like they are they are affecting your tonsils. If you can scream now and it doesn't hurt you sore throats won't be as common," Uncle Reed said.

"Have some fun, Shorty. That scream will come in handy some day," Johnny said, touching her shoulder gently.

"Sure.Whatever. I just can't see that yet. Uncle Reed, are you done with the tests?" Lisa asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. The blood work that I've put in should take awhile to get in. Johnny, I can test you next," Uncle Reed said, looking at Johnny.

"I'll help you, Reed," Sue volunteered as Johnny went to go change in a tanktop and shorts.

"Can I watch?" Lisa asked as Uncle Ben left the room and Uncle Reed prepared the lab for Johnny.

"Might be a little boring, Lise," Uncle Reed said.

"It's not the first time I sat in on one of your science projects. I do my homework while you work," Lisa said, standing from her stool.

"Good point. You have been good company these past two years whenever I do a project. If I remember your father didn't have much patience for my projects. At least you tolerate my projects," Uncle Reed said, grabbing her hand as he led her to the observation room above the lab. Sue was waiting there, wearing a pair of glasses.

"Nice glasses," Uncle Reed complimented.

"Thank you. Johnny, are you ready?" Sue asked as Johnny came into the lab.

"What should I do?" Johnny asked.

"Step into the chamber behind you," Uncle Reed said, indicating the metal holding area behind Johnny.

"Uncle Reed, what does the chamber do?" Lisa asked as Johnny stepped inside.

"It'll test how high his body temperature can go and how hot he can make the flames," Uncle Reed said. Uncle Reed and Sue both looked at the monitors.

"He's heating up from his core!" Uncle Reed exclaimed, looking at a screen that had a picture of Johnny's body and flames coming out.

"His vitals are completely normal," Sue commented.

"Uncle Reed, the thermometer's going over 200 degrees," Lisa said, her eyes on another screen.

"This is more than I anticipate. Okay, Johnny, back it down," Uncle Reed ordered.

"I can go hotter!" Johnny said.

"Johnny, back it down!" Sue ordered, repeating what Uncle Reed said. Instead of stopping the temperature got over 300 degrees, finally causing Uncle Reed to make the chamber explode, momentarily blinding Lisa, Sue, and Uncle Reed.

They left the observation area and heard Johnny laugh in glee. "You guys are cramping my style," Johnny said, laying by a hole in the door.

"Johnny, you were at 4,000 Kelvins. Any hotter and you were approaching supernova," Sue protested.

"Sweet!" Johnny cheered, apparently not realizing that going supernova was dangerous, not only to him, but everyone else in general.

"No! Not Sweet! That's the temperature of the sun," Sue said.

'Not only could you kill yourself you could set fire to Earth's atmosphere and destroy all human life as we know it," Lisa said, causing Uncle Reed and Sue to stare."What? I can't always ignore your science talk. Especially since I'm one of your experiments now," Lisa said.

"I got it. Supernova bad," Johnny said. That was the end of Johnny's test.

&

Uncle Ben was the next one after Uncle Reed tested Lisa's ability to go through walks one more time. At least he didn't take any more of Lisa's blood. "We're going to identify the source of the mutation." After those words what Uncle Reed said next lost Lisa.

"Huh?" Uncle Ben said, looking equally lost as he looked at Sue.

"We have to do a physical in order to see where that's at," Sue said in layman's terms.

"Oh. Why didn't you just say so?" Uncle Ben asked.

"I think he did, Uncle Ben. He just doesn't say things in English," Lisa said, fighting the urge to laugh as Uncle Reed shot her a sour look.

"Your uncle hasn't spoken English since I've known him," Uncle Ben quipped, his mouth twitching

"Are you two quite done?" Uncle Reed asked, an annoyed look on his face. Lisa giggled.

"Depends. When you stop talking in words we don't know, Uncle Reed, then we might stop," Lisa said, her voice smug.

"You know, I could make you leave: Uncle Reed said, his voice a mock-threat.

"You could, but you won't. I want to be here for Uncle Ben; like he was when my dad died and I came here," Lisa said, all joking aside.

"Thanks, Sweetie," Uncle Ben said. The conversation changed as Uncle Reed looked at the x-ray in front of him.

"His eternal organs are completely solid," Uncle Reed said, changing the subject. Lisa and Sue came over to look. Uncle Ben's heart looked like a beating rock.

"How bad is it? You know I used to smoke," Uncle Ben said.

"That might account for the voice change, Uncle Ben," Lisa said.

"No. That's not it. Ben, I need to test your vitals. You're pretty strong from what I can see, but I need to know how sharp your reflexes are," Uncle Reed said, picking up a small hammer and handing it to Sue.

"Feel anything?" Sue asked, tapping Uncle Ben's leg.

"Nope," Uncle Ben said. Uncle Reed then picked up a regular hammer.

"Okay," Uncle Reed said, hitting Uncle Ben's leg with the hammer. Ben's leg shot out, smashing the wall with the table in front of him.

"Sorry, Egghead," Uncle Ben said sheepishly.

"It's all right. If Lisa's scream doesn't startle me or Johnny nearly burning down the Baxter, then that won't," Uncle Reed said.

"So, he's okay, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked.

"I think so, Lisa. Ben, the cloud made you solid, but your reflexes are good. All of us have excellent reflexes still," Uncle Reed said, clapping Uncle Ben's shoulder.

"So will you be able to cure him, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked. Uncle Ben held his breath in anticipation, waiting for that answer.

"I don't know yet, but I'll try. Sue, it's your turn," Uncle Reed said, turning to Sue. Uncle Ben then left the lab, his feet causing the floor to shake. Lisa wondered what all of Sue's powers would be. It should be interesting.


	10. Sue's Test and Lisa Gets Upset

Chapter 10-

Chapter 10-

Sue's test was probably the more interesting of all the one's Reed had done. If Reed had known that Sue still felt for him he probably wouldn't have allowed Lisa to sit in, her eyes as large as soup tureens. But he didn't know that he'd start talking about what they had before.

"You should be able to bend light around other objects. Even people if you could control your emotional state better," Reed said. Sue stiffened and Lisa winced visibly at his poor choice of words.

"Excuse me?" Sue asked, her voice cold.

"I'm saying if you had a little more self-control you could locate the trigger. Do you remember your exact emotions on the bridge?" Reed asked. Sue had folded her arms, but then she looked embarrassed and angry again as she remembered. Sue had also said earlier that she had told Lisa what had happened so Lisa didn't look surprised at his line of questioning.

"Anger. Rage. Frustration," Sue said every one of those emotions in her voice as she listed them.

"Okay. Is there any way to duplicate that feeling? Some memory or-"Reed started to ask.

'I'm sure I can come up with something," Sue said, a smug grin on her face. Reed had an idea of what she meant and apparently so did Lisa.

"Sue, you can't kill Uncle Reed. There'll be too many witnesses," Lisa pointed out from the metal table she was sitting on.

"I won't kill him, Lisa. I just feel like it," Sue snapped, her body starting to disappear.

"How's that coming?" Reed asked, looking up at Sue. Sue could only be visible through the glass in front of him that monitored her and sent the results to him through his computer.

The next moment shocked Reed as a force field came out of Sue and knocked him backwards.

"Uncle Reed!" Lisa exclaimed as she and Sue ran to help him up.

"I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" Sue asked apologetically.

"Yeah," Reed said as he stood.

"Are you sure?" Sue asked concern in her blue eyes.

"Yup," Reed said as he, Lisa, and Sue cleaned the paperwork he had dropped.

"I, uh, I really thought that was some form of late hostility," Sue said, smiling ruefully as she picked up papers and handed them to Reed.

"I wonder what gave you that idea," Reed muttered. "I mean, you broke up with me right?" Reed asked as Sue was leaving. She turned back, the cheery, fake smile on her face.

"Are you kidding?" Sue asked.

"No. I distinctly recall you walked out my door, ergo," Reed said, forgetting all about Lisa.

"I was ready for the next step. You weren't, ergo, I walked," Sue said, a slight edge to her words.

"I think it was more complicated than that," Reed said, turning back to his desk. He then noticed Lisa, who seemed to be following the whole conversation with interest.

"I just wanted to marry you. What was so complicated about that?" Sue wanted to know.

"There were a lot of variables to consider," Reed said, knowing his excuse sounded lame.

"No there weren't. Lisa hadn't even come to live with you yet. I could have helped you raise her if we had married. There was you and me. There were no variables. No math. It was actually the simplest thing in the world, but as always, Reed, your head got in the way," Sue said, walking to him, her eyes flashing angrily.

"No it didn't," Reed snapped.

"Then what was it?" Sue asked sharply. For a long moment they stood there in silence. Reed then looked over at Lisa. Her brown eyes bored into his. "Did you feel anything when I left? Do you feel anything right now?" Sue asked.

Reed felt a painful tightening in his chest. "I did, but when Lisa came into my life and I became her guardian it helped ease the pain. Her pain and what she had been through with Scott made me forget. I wanted to help her get over it," Reed confessed.

"Uncle Reed, if my dad hadn't of died and I hadn't have come when I did would you have gone after Sue?" Lisa asked, her brown eyes like mirror glass.

"I don't know, Lisa," Reed said, wrapping his arms around Lisa's shoulders and hugging her tightly. Reed's eyes widened causing Sue and Lisa to look towards the door.

Johnny came towards them, his shirt with huge burned holes in it. "I think we've got a serious problem." Reed let go of Lisa, looked apologetically at Sue, and then turned his attention to Johnny.

&

The next few days' tests were different. Uncle Reed was writing equations and looking at each one of the outfits they had worn when the cloud hit them. Lisa had hoped she would never see the uniform she had worn, but Uncle Reed said it was important when he had them shipped over from von Doom. He said that chances were that the uniforms might have the same powers as them.

"Our uniforms were exposed to the storm like us. So they can transform like us," Uncle Reed explained a few days later in the living room. They all, except Uncle Ben, wore their uniforms.

"So, if I walk through a wall, wearing this, the uniform will do the same thing?" Lisa asked, from her seat besides Uncle Ben.

"Basically. Walking through walls, becoming invisible, changing size on a man, or making on purpose a flame," Uncle Reed said, standing up.

"Heh. You guys look like an eighties rock band," Uncle Ben joked, a cup in his hand. Uncle Reed looked at his suit as they all did, but it couldn't be helped that they looked bad.

"You know, Ben, this material stretches. I'm sure we could figure out a way to make you big," Sue pointed out, holding Uncle Ben's uniform in her hands.

"No. No. I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that," Uncle Ben said.

"I love these costumes," Johnny enthused, causing everyone to look at them.

"You would. If it's the same to you, Uncle Reed, I think I'm going to change back into my regular clothes. If you can't find a cure I'll just be like Rouge in X-Men and wait a few years," Lisa said, thinking of one of her favorite movies.

"If that's what you want, Lisa. And they are not costumes," Uncle Reed said to Johnny.

"You can't use your powers in public, Johnny," Sue said, sounding exasperated.

"You guys are worse than NASA," Johnny said, turning away.

"Johnny!" Sue snapped.

"Johnny, she's right. We can't live like this. This is worse than living with Dad, but at least there's a cure. Right, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked.

"I hope there is. I'm going to try to find one now since I'm done with the tests. I just wanted you to have the uniforms," Uncle Reed said.

"The only thing that's missing is the utility belt," Uncle Ben joked, taking a drink.

"You know, if Uncle Reed finds a cure we could have Johnny torch them for us," Lisa teased.

"Yeah. Right. Why would I do that?" Johnny asked.

"Because maybe it wouldn't kill you to do something nice for once instead of being a girl-crazy jerk!" Lisa snapped. Everyone stared at her in shock.

"Lisa?" Uncle Reed asked.

"Sorry, Uncle Reed. I'm just tired of him and his teasing. And another thing, Mr. Storm, I don't like being called Shorty. You call me that again and I'm going to throw you against the wall. You're going to find out I'm the only one around here who can go through walls," Lisa said as she stormed off.

&

Lisa was in her room, tossing an old baseball her father had given her when she was five. That day her father had been in a rare good mood and it was her birthday. An arm shot out, grabbing the ball before she could catch it.

Lisa looked towards the doorway. Uncle Reed looked at her, his eyes not as warm as usual. "Lisa, why did you do that? Johnny and Sue are our guests. I know he gets on your nerves, but a big person would overlook Johnny's faults," Uncle Reed said sternly.

"I'm not as patient as you, Uncle Reed. The guy's annoying," Lisa protested.

"I know he is, but if you argue with him you are no better than he is. I expect you to treat Johnny kindly. That is not a request, Lisa," Uncle Reed said, his voice allowing no argument.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Reed," Lisa said in a small voice, tears pricking her eyelids. Her uncle wasn't her father, but having him angry with her hurt.

"I'm not the one you should apologize to. I want you to apologize to Johnny right now," Uncle Reed ordered.

"Do I have to?" Lisa asked uncertainly.

"Yes you do. Now go apologize," Uncle Reed said. Lisa left the room, wondering how to apologize. She didn't think Uncle Reed would like the '_Anne of Green Gables_' apology if she tried it.


	11. The apology, The Plan, and Johnny

Lisa went into the living room where Johnny was watching a game on ESPN

Lisa went into the living room where Johnny was watching a game on ESPN. Since he had come to the Baxter he took advantage of the 900 channels on the plasma TV; especially the sports channels. Johnny looked up as she sat down; trying to show some interest in the motocross event he was watching.

"You like sports, Shorty?" Johnny asked, apparently not one to get annoyed with her earlier display of temper and forgetting that she had said that she hated the new nickname he had given her.

"Not really. I wanted to say I'm sorry for what I said to you earlier. My uncle says that you and Sue are our guests and I should treat you as one," Lisa said, looking at her hands folded at the knee.

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it," Johnny said.

"Oh, I meant it. I just shouldn't have said it. Johnny, why do you want to stay like this? Don't you want to be cured?" Lisa asked.

"Not really. I know it's dangerous, but it's kind of fun too, Shorty," Johnny said his eyes on the screen.

"Like motocross?" Lisa asked, looking at the event. The rider was doing a flying leap in the air that looked extremely dangerous.

"Sort of, but more fun. You said you like X-Men, but some of their powers were kind of cool too. Especially Storm's or Wolverine's," Johnny said.

"I never really thought of it that way before. But Johnny, I'm not Storm or Wolverine. I don't want to be like this for the rest of my life. All I came to do was apologize," Lisa said, standing.

"It's okay. Apology accepted," Johnny said as Lisa left the room. Lisa hoped Uncle Reed found a cure soon or she'd start thinking about her new-found abilities like Johnny did his.

&

The next day they all sat at the breakfast table. Uncle Ben was squeezing oranges in a bowl since he couldn't drink from a regular juice glass. "While I'm in here let's make this quick. I have a lot of places to go today," Johnny said, walking into the room and grabbing Uncle Ben's bowl of orange juice.

'Such as?" Lisa asked, eating a piece of bacon.

"I just wanted to go out for awhile. Aren't you tired, Shorty, of staying inside?" Johnny asked.

"A little, but we can't," Lisa said, taking a drink of her soy milk. Uncle Reed had found out she was allergic to milk when she first came to live with him. So she had to satisfy herself with chocolate or vanilla soy or rice milk. If the cloud had healed her allergy that was yet to be seen.

"Yeah, we don't go anywhere," Johnny said sarcastically, bringing Lisa's mind back to the conversation.

"Johnny, it's imperative that we stay inside for the foreseeable future," Uncle Reed said, his voice one of barely controlled patience. Lisa looked over at Uncle Ben, trying to pick up a fork. It was difficult, but he managed.

"I know, I know, Reed. But when you said that last time my brain heard a week," Johnny said, sounding like an impatient five-year-old.

"Johnny, it's too dangerous for you to be in public," Sue said, saving Uncle Reed from having to answer that.

"You've been saying that for years," Johnny said. Lisa nearly choked on her scrambled eggs at that statement. She could just imagine Sue saying that when Johnny was a teenager.

"What worries me is that our powers are evolving," Uncle Reed said. That was the truth. It was getting easier for Lisa to walk through the walls and the furniture. Last night she was working on a project and had gone through the living room table when she leaned over to rest her elbows on the table.

"I know, I know. I am so close to flying I can taste it," Johnny said, setting the stove on fire.

"You can't fly," Sue said amused.

"Yet," Johnny said, not realizing what he had done.

"Johnny, can you put that out now?" Sue asked, all humor gone.

"So, what's going on, Reed? How are you going to cure us?" Uncle Ben asked.

Uncle Reed took out a diagram of some kind of machine and held it out to them. "I'm going to build a machine to recreate the storm," Uncle Reed said.

"But it won't hurt us, will it, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked nervously as she looked at the drawing.

"I wouldn't think so. It didn't kill any of us the first time. I don't think it will the second time around if I plan it right. The cosmic rays will travel from this generator to this chamber," Uncle Reed said, his fingers outlining the diagram.

"What? No pop-ups?" Johnny asked. Sue and Lisa both looked at him briefly before turning back to Uncle Reed.

"If I can reverse the wave signal-"Uncle Reed started to say, handing the picture to Sue.

"It'll return us back to normal," Uncle Ben finished for him. Uncle Reed nodded his head. Uncle Ben grunted, taking a bite of fruit. A sharp metallic crack was heard.

"Right, but what are the risks?" Sue asked, looking at the machine.

"Even a small miscalculation could increase our symptoms exponentially. Or perhaps even kill us," Uncle Reed said quickly.

"That's a cheerful thought. If it could kill us, why build it, Uncle Reed?" Lisa fretted.

"I just have to try, Lisa. I'm just saying that it might make us worse or kill us," Uncle Reed said.

"Now dying, that's bad, right? Shorty has every right to be scared, doesn't she?" Johnny asked, coming to Lisa's side.

"Yes, she does. But science is mostly trial and error. Lisa, I won't let you in the machine until I know for sure it's going to work," Uncle Reed said firmly, squeezing her hand gently.

"Thanks, Uncle Reed," Lisa said, a feeling of relief washing over her.

"So how long until this contraption's up and running?" Uncle Ben wanted to know.

"I don't know. It's hard to say," Uncle Reed said, looking down at his papers.

"How long, Reed?" Uncle Ben snapped.

"I don't know!" Uncle Reed said a slight edge to his words.

"You don't know!" Uncle Ben yelled standing and looking like a menacing rock wall.

"You don't want this to get worse!" Uncle Reed snapped back.

"Worse than that?" Johnny laughed, looking at Uncle Ben.

"Johnny, shut up!" Lisa hissed, looking at the devastated look on Uncle Ben's face.

"Guys, look, we're going to be stuck here for awhile. So let's try to get along," Sue said before Uncle Ben freaked and hurt Johnny or Uncle Reed by hitting them. Unfortunately getting along was easier said than done.

&

The next two weeks were anything but dull as Uncle Reed fixed the machine. Johnny relieved some of the boredom by playing pranks on Uncle Ben. Lisa never joined him on the pranks, but a huge rock wall threatening to kill Johnny was becoming common.

Of course Uncle Reed's prediction about how their powers were evolving was true also. They were becoming more pronounced as time went. Johnny had thrown a soccer ball at her and it had gone through her instead of hitting her or her catching it. Lisa tried not to think of how far her uncle had to go and concentrated on her newest hobby; stained glass windows.

&

Lisa sat in the living room as Uncle Reed worked and Sue poured over fan mail and magazines. Some of the magazines had Lisa on the cover, but Lisa wouldn't look at them or read the letters addressed to her. Sue did though and she would talk about it.

"Reed, Lisa, have you read any of these?" Sue asked, coming from the patio with a handful of letters.

"No. Should we, Sue?" Lisa asked while she used a glass cutter Uncle Reed had given her to make a difficult pattern for her next window. She had made a total of ten stained glass windows in two weeks and this was number eleven. She was trying to copy the patterns she saw in her book and this was her next one. Of course it was like a mosaic. That was what made it difficult.

"They're from all over, Lisa. People wanting us to fight crimes; save their kids; solve their problems. Reed? Reed? We can't even solve our own," Sue said softly. Apparently Uncle Reed had not heard a word she had just said.

"NO! NO, FREAKING, WAY!!" Uncle Ben's voice came into the room angrily. Uncle Reed finally looked up, a look of surprise on his face.

"Ben?" Uncle Reed asked and they ran from the room into the living room.

"What's wrong?" Sue asked. Uncle Ben was pacing like an angry cat and pointed at the TV.

Lisa felt all the color drain out of her face. Johnny was on the screen, looking smug. "Uncle Reed, how did he get out?" Lisa asked, looking up at her uncle.

"I don't know, Lisa. Let's see what happens," Uncle Reed whispered, wrapping his arms around Lisa's shoulders.


	12. Being Stupid and a Surprise

Chapter 12-

Chapter 12-

**A/N: Since the program I use still double heads everything, even when I don't put in chapter whatever or the name of this chapter I'm going to go with the first option. Also there's a surprise at the end of this chapter that may change Lisa and Reed's lives if they go with it. Tell me what y'all think. If they should or shouldn't. Also during Johnny's TV interview he said a few things that I'm cutting out. So don't be too alarmed if there are certain things that were said that I didn't have Johnny say.**

**&**

What ever was going to happen Lisa looked at the screen nervously. No one had any idea what Johnny was going to say or do. "I still don't know how he got out. Uncle Reed's security system is tighter than the Pentagon or a maximum security prison," Lisa said, her voice slightly teasing her uncle.

"Tell me he didn't get out. That this is my imagination," Sue moaned, her hands on her hips.

"Oh, yes he did. Flame Boy never listens. Lisa's more obedient than him and she's only ten," Uncle Ben grumbled.

"What did he do to his uniform?" Sue asked. Johnny had a huge 5 on the shoulder. Uncle Reed opened his lab coat slightly. He had taken to wearing his uniform every day and it had the 5 on it as well.

"Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked.

"Shh. Don't say anything," Uncle Reed said, covering her mouth gently with his hand.

"Johnny, I've got to ask you about the outfit," a newswoman asked.

"Yeah. It's kind of our special uniform. We all wear one. Even Shorty has one," Johnny bragged.

"So what are your superhero names?" The woman asked.

Lisa's picture filled the screen. "Well, Shorty's Siren since she screams," Johnny said, causing Lisa's face to fall.

"Siren's the best he came up with?" Lisa whispered. Lisa didn't have a problem with Johnny giving her a name, but remembering mythology Siren sang to sailors and her voice was deadly as it killed the sailors.

"The little girl who goes through solid objects?" The newswoman asked with interest.

"That's her. Shorty's kind of shy and quiet since she was abused by her father before she came to stay with her uncle," Johnny said. Lisa felt her eyes sting with tears and she bit her lips to keep from sobbing.

"Lisa, I'm sorry," Sue apologized, her blue eyes full of sympathy.

"It's okay. I guess I thought that he'd keep quiet like all of you did," Lisa said, her voice splintered as Uncle Reed rubbed her back gently.

"They call me the Human Torch," Johnny said smugly.

"What about the rest of the team?" The woman asked. A picture of Sue filled the screen.

"She's the Invisible Girl," Johnny said to Sue's consternation.

"Girl?" Sue asked.

"What about Dr. Reed Richards? I hear you call him Mr. Fantastic," the woman said.

"It could have been worse," Uncle Ben said to Uncle Reed.

"It was," Uncle Reed muttered.

The next few questions were just embarrassing. Uncle Reed's face was comical since they were about him. Lisa winced slightly, trying not to look at Uncle Reed.

A picture of Uncle Ben filled the screen. "Now what is that? What do you call that thing?" The woman asked.

"That's it. The Thing. If you think this is bad you should have seen him before," Johnny quipped.

"Okay. Now I'm gonna go kill him," Uncle Ben stormed out.

"Wait for me!" Lisa exclaimed, following Uncle Ben as he walked to the door. Uncle Reed and Sue had no choice but to follow.

&

The place were the motocross events were held were cheering loudly as Lisa, Uncle Reed, Sue, and Uncle Ben passed the crowds at the entrance. They all saw Johnny at the same time; looking like a celebrity surrounded by girls.

"There he is," Sue said. Sue, Uncle Reed, and Lisa ran to him. Uncle Ben lagged behind slightly as he saw Johnny's red car. Lisa wasn't sure what Uncle Ben was planning, but for right now she wouldn't argue with it.

"Johnny," Sue said sharply.

"Can we talk about this later, Guys?" Johnny asked casually as they walked together.

"We can't talk about this later," Sue hissed.

"What is it?" Johnny asked.

"Johnny, do you have any clue what you've done? You took my life with my dad and splashed it all over New York! Did it ever occur to you that I didn't want people to know? That I was never going to tell anyone?" Lisa asked as the tears finally spilled over.

"All kids want to be famous, Shorty," Johnny argued.

"Johnny, Lisa doesn't. I have spent the last two years trying to help her get over what my brother did to her and in one afternoon you have guaranteed that she's never going to have a private life and you hurt her feelings at the same time!" Uncle Reed snapped, hugging Lisa tightly to his chest.

Johnny would have said something, but all argument was stopped as a large, metallic red ball rolled heavily in front of them. It took a moment for Lisa to realize that it was Johnny's car. So that was what Uncle Ben had planned to do with Johnny's car. In spite of herself Lisa giggled as the license plate hit Johnny in the head and Uncle Ben hit his hand with a rocky fist.

"You think that's funny, Pebbles?" Johnny snapped at Uncle Ben, getting angry.

"If Uncle Ben doesn't I know I do," Lisa whispered to Sue and Uncle Reed, choking on a laugh.

"Johnny, you gave us names?" Sue asked, distracting him from Uncle Ben wanting to hit him and not saying anything to what Lisa had just said. "You don't think! You broke Lisa's heart! She doesn't need any more than she's been through!"

"And you think you're the face of the Fantastic Five?" Lisa asked skeptically, jumping into this sibling quarrel and grabbing thick handfuls of Uncle Reed's sports jacket.

"A face that's about to get broken," Uncle Ben threatened.

"Look, this isn't permanent, Johnny. We need to be careful until we're normal again," Uncle Reed said.

"What if I don't want to be normal? I didn't turn into a monster!" Johnny said pointedly at Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben lunged forward, his fist raised. He stopped himself and looked at Lisa standing next to Sue.

"I won't do it with Lisa watching," Uncle Ben said, lowering his fist and walking away.

"Johnny, say you're sorry," Sue ordered.

Johnny raised his hand, hitting Uncle Ben in the back with fire. "Uncle Ben!!" Lisa screamed belatedly, her sonic scream shattering windows and TV screens around the sports arena.

Uncle Ben turned, a surprised look on his face. "Did you just-"Uncle Ben started to say before another fireball hit him in the face. "That's it, Tinkerbell!" Uncle Ben yelled walking menacingly to Johnny.

"No, Ben," Uncle Reed said, pushing Lisa behind him and Sue as he got between the two.

"You want to fly; then fly!" Uncle Ben said, taking a punch at Johnny. Before it hit Johnny it hit Uncle Reed straight through the stomach. Johnny flew into the Burger King truck behind him, small flames bursting out from him.

They all looked at each other and Johnny. Lisa ran to her uncle and touched his stomach lightly. "Are you okay, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked anxiously.

"I'm fine," Uncle Reed cupped her face gently and gave her a brief smile.

"Cool it, Guys!" Sue's voice sounded frantic. Uncle Reed and Lisa saw Johnny and Uncle Ben advance towards each other.

"Let's see if we can get blood from a stone," Johnny said threateningly.

"Let's see. Bring it on," Uncle Ben said.

"He sounds like the Enforcer on Boy Meets World," Lisa said to no one in particular and rolling her eyes.

"You guys need a time out!" Sue snapped, holding her hands level to their chests and a force field holding them back. Uncle Ben turned and stormed away.

"What a blockhead. He started it!" Johnny said, sounding like a five-year-old.

"I don't care!" Sue snapped, storming off after Uncle Ben and leaving Lisa, Uncle Reed, and Johnny alone with the crowds watching.

Johnny looked at Uncle Reed and Lisa who looked upset. "What?" Johnny asked, walking around the remains of his car.

"You need to control yourself. Think before you act," Uncle Reed said with barely controlled patience.

"That's you're problem. You always think, you never act!" Johnny snapped angrily. "What if we got these powers for a reason? What if it's some kind of higher calling?" Johnny asked, causing Lisa to roll her eyes.

"Oh, a higher calling? Like getting girls and making money? Does that also involve hurting a ten-year-old girl because you want to be popular?" Uncle Reed asked.

"Is there any higher?" Johnny asked. "You know what, Reed, Shorty, this is who we are. Accept it. Or better yet, enjoy it," Johnny said, turning back to the cameras.

"Uncle Reed, he can't seriously want this, can he?" Lisa asked as they walked to the Baxter Building.

"I don't know, Lisa. I'm just sorry that you were the one who got hurt," Uncle Reed said wearily.

"Uncle Reed, it's okay. I can live with it," Lisa said casually.

"I did have something I wanted to talk with you about. You've been living with me for two years now. How would you feel if I was to legally adopt you? You know, make you my daughter instead of my niece?" Uncle Reed asked.

Lisa looked at him, shocked. "You wait until now to ask me?" Lisa asked skeptically.

"Well, with all your bad memories of your father I thought it best to wait until you were no longer afraid that I was going to beat you," Uncle Reed said.

"I never said anything about that!" Lisa exclaimed.

"No, but I saw the look in your eyes when you first came to live with me. I just thought I wanted some of the fear to go before I asked if you'd like to be my daughter instead of my niece," Uncle Reed said.

"I don't think all the bad memories will go away though, Uncle Reed," Lisa said, stopping in the middle off the street and looking up at him.

"No. It probably won't, but I love you very much and I promise to never hurt you like your father did," Uncle Reed said, stooping in front of her and touching her shoulders gently.

"Can I…Can I think about it, Uncle Reed? I mean, I'm not certain that I want another dad," Lisa said in a small voice. Uncle Reed's face flinched slightly and his eyes looked like a mirror then. But then his expression cleared.

"Sure. Take all the time you want. I don't want to make you do something you don't want to do," Uncle Reed said, hugging Lisa tightly. Lisa rested her forehead against Uncle Reed's shoulder.

"Thanks, Uncle Reed. Thanks for understanding," Lisa said as Uncle Reed picked her up and she fell asleep in his arms, feeling safe.


	13. Confession is Good For the Soul

Chapter 13-

Chapter 13-

The next few days gave Lisa quite a lot to think about. Uncle Reed wanting to adopt her was the biggest that she was thinking about. As much as she loved Uncle Reed she wasn't certain that she wanted him as her father/ He had said that he'd never hurt her and he wouldn't force her to make a decision, but she still had questions and doubts about the whole thing.

Uncle Reed had been working night and day since Johnny's stupid stunt on TV. Lisa hated to bother him with questions since he was so close to finding a cure and he was extremely busy, but Uncle Reed had never seemed to mind her questions when she had them.

"Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked as he put a console pad on the machine. He was doing the finishing touches so he wasn't as busy now as he would have been.

"Yes, Lisa?" Uncle Reed asked, not looking up at her.

"I don't want to bother you with silly questions, but what do I call you if I agree to letting you legally adopt me?" Lisa asked nervously, chewing the inside of her cheek. It was a bad habit she knew, but it was one she had done since she was five. When she did it she was either nervous or thinking.

"Let's get one thing straight, Lisa Richards. None of your questions are silly. I'd be a little bit worried if you didn't ask me questions. Now in answer to your question; if you agree you could still call me Uncle Reed," Uncle Reed said, sitting down next to her.

"But it wouldn't be right, would it? Legally you'd be my father, not my uncle," Lisa said.

"Lisa, I'm leaving it to you. If you still want to call me your uncle I'm all right with that. If you want to consider me as your father, I'm all right with that too. It's your choice," Uncle Reed said, hugging her tightly.

"So, if I decide I'd rather you were my uncle you won't get upset?" Lisa asked, burying her head in Uncle Reed's chest.

"Of course not. I'd be a little sad, but I'd understand. I could never be your father. I hope you don't think I'm trying to take his place?" Uncle Reed asked, raising her face so he could look into her brown eyes that were like his and her father's.

"That would never happen, Uncle Reed. You do look like my dad, but you don't act like him. I used to think you'd be like my dad when I first came to live her, but you really aren't, Uncle Reed," Lisa said. Uncle Reed smiled briefly at her.

"You want to know a secret? Your father and me used to get along really well. He was a halfway decent man once. When your grandfather died he changed. He started to drink and then he left home. I tried to talk to him, but I guess he just didn't want his big brother telling him what to do," Uncle Reed said sadly.

"Maybe he wouldn't have beaten me so much if he had listened to you, Uncle Reed," Lisa said dully.

"You can't help someone who doesn't want help, Lisa. I tried to help him, but your father didn't want my help. It's too late for me to help him, but it's not too late for me to help you," Uncle Reed said.

"I guess you're right. So, are you done with your machine, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked, changing the subject and looking at the machine.

"I'm done building it. Now I need to run tests to make sure it's going to work," Uncle Reed said, standing up.

"What kind of tests are you going to run, Uncle Reed? You said that if any of us stepped into the machine it could make us worse or kill us," Lisa said as Uncle Reed picked up one of his potted plants.

"That's as true now as when I first said it. That's why I'm using my plants first before I let you in there," Uncle Reed said, carrying the plant over to the machine and putting it inside.

"What's it supposed to do to the plants, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked.

"These plants were infected. So the machine should reverse what was done to them," Uncle Reed said, stepping out of the machine and closing the door.

After he pressed a few buttons the machine lit up for a few minutes in an electrical display and then stopped. Uncle Reed then opened the door. Smoke surrounded the plant. As it cleared Lisa saw what Uncle Reed saw. The plant had died in the machine.

"What do you do now, Uncle Reed?" Lisa asked dejectedly.

"I don't know yet, Lisa. I'll figure out something," Uncle Reed said. Lisa left the lab, feeling disappointed. This was the first test, but Lisa had hoped that it would work the first time around.

&

Lisa was busy painting her latest stained glass window when Sue came in. "Lisa, where's Reed?" Sue asked kindly.

"Lab, I think. I left him a couple of hours ago. He finished the machine. He's doing tests now on plants," Lisa said, sticking her paintbrush in a glass of water.

Sue went towards the lab, Lisa following. Lisa and Sue both grinned at what they saw. Uncle Reed was at his desk, sound asleep. "Reed?" Sue asked, tapping Uncle Reed's hand gently.

Uncle Reed woke with a start. It was all Lisa could do not to giggle. Uncle Reed's nose was mashed into his face. He looked at them and then at his computer, smiling briefly. "Just resting my eyes," Uncle Reed said, rubbing his eyes tenderly.

"So I see. The new readouts look very promising," Sue said, looking at the paperwork in front of her.

"Not promising enough," Uncle Reed grumbled.

"What are the new tests?" Sue asked. Uncle Reed looked uncomfortable with that question. He looked at the computer instead of Lisa and Sue.

"I've run out of plants. So I was thinking, maybe- There's always me," Uncle Reed said uncertainly.

"No!" Lisa and Sue said at the same time.

"It's too soon. Reed, if it doesn't work who'd take care of your niece if something happened?" Sue asked, looking from Lisa to Uncle Reed.

"I've got to get back to work," Uncle Reed said, avoiding the question, but not before Lisa saw the misty look in his brown eyes.

"You need a break," Sue said firmly, walking around Uncle Reed's desk.

"No, I don't," Uncle Reed protested.

"C'mon, let's go. Lisa, you can come too. Both of you need a break," Sue said, closing the files Uncle Reed had in front of him and pulling him up by the arm.

&

Sue's idea of a break was taking them to the Hayman Planetarium. Lisa hadn't been here in awhile and she had forgotten how spectacular the star displays were. Lisa, Sue, and Uncle Reed sat watching as the stars revolved, splashing blue and white light on their faces.

"I remember our first date. You and Scott had just gotten into a fight and you came and picked me up. It was the first time I ever saw you angry. Your father and Reed fought a lot back then," Sue said to Lisa.

"Uncle Reed told me earlier. So this was your first date? Geez, Uncle Reed, what happened to dinner and a movie?" Lisa asked, not wanting to talk about her father.

"I loved it though, Lisa. I was so nervous," Sue said.

"You know, I bribed the projectionist ten bucks to keep the place open late," Uncle Reed said to Sue.

"Really?" Sue asked.

"Hmmm-hmm," Uncle Reed said, nodding his head.

"I gave him twenty," Sue said. Lisa giggled at the surprised look on Uncle Reed's face.

"No!" Uncle Reed said smiling.

"Yeah!" Sue said, laughing.

"No way!" Uncle Reed laughed with Lisa and Sue as they looked back at the screen.

"I didn't want that night to end," Sue said sadly, the smile fading away. A few seconds of quiet filled the air before Uncle Reed spoke.

"You were right. It wasn't complicated. I just wasn't ready to- You always talked about how you liked the kind of man who could approach you; speak his mind. One who wasn't afraid to tell you exactly what he wanted," Uncle Reed said.

"He did, but I wanted you to be that man. Then when Ben told me that Scott had died and Lisa was living with you I felt that I had missed something," Sue said softly.

"Well, why didn't you say something?" Uncle Reed asked.

"Reed, I'm saying it now," Sue whispered softly. She became invisible just then as Uncle Reed leaned over to kiss her. Sue laughed as Uncle Reed kissed her gently.

"That's my nose, Genius," Sue said wryly as she became visible.

"At least I was right about the two of you," Lisa said, looking at the screen and biting her lips so she wouldn't laugh.

"In what way, Lisa?" Sue asked.

"Well, I thought you liked him. I saw how you looked at him before we got our powers," Lisa said.

"A little too observant, aren't you?" Sue asked. There were amused looks on hers and Uncle Reed's faces.

"Well you weren't exactly hiding your feelings that first day. I'd have to be an idiot not to notice that you still thought Uncle Reed was hot," Lisa said. Sue and Uncle Reed started to laugh. When they weren't arguing Sue and Uncle Reed were a lot of fun. Lisa was hoping Sue would stay this time. If she and Uncle Reed married then adopted Lisa then Lisa would have a mom. Since Lisa's mother had died when Lisa was born Lisa had missed not having one. She had looked at other girls with their mothers and felt lonely.


	14. Ben's Revolt

Chapter 14-

Chapter 14-

**A/n: This chapter is a little short, but it's a deleted scene I thought was funny and Ben's getting angry at Reed for not being as fast. That last scene is going to be slightly different than the movie with Lisa as a calming influence on Ben. Considering how close she and Ben are I don't think he and Reed's fight would have been like the movie's.**

**&**

Lisa ate a warm pretzel as Uncle Reed and Sue talked by the New York harbor. Sure she could have eaten ice cream, but Lisa wasn't sure if her allergy towards milk was healed or not from the exposure to the cloud.

"Remember this place?" Sue asked as they looked at the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

"Of course. This is where I first asked you out," Uncle Reed said.

"You picked a great place to ask her, Uncle Reed," Lisa said, throwing her trash from the pretzel and a coke can in the trash can.

"Your uncle was very romantic when he was younger, but I think it was me that asked you," Sue said wryly to Uncle Reed.

"Oh. Right. That was Scott who'd ask girls out and they'd accept," Uncle Reed said. It took Lisa a second to realize that Uncle Reed meant her father.

"My dad dated a lot of girls then?" Lisa asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah. I even dated him once. He had a temper problem though. Fortunately you're not really like him at all," Sue said.

"Really? I have his dark hair and eyes. I really don't know what my mother looked like though. When she died Dad burned all the pictures of her," Lisa said skeptically.

"You do look like him, but I can see the differences. You're quieter than your father was. You know how Johnny is. Your father was like him when he was younger, but I don't think Johnny would hit a little girl. He's never that cruel," Sue said, touching her shoulder lightly.

"Sue, do you think that if my mother had lived and my birth hadn't killed her my father would have loved me?" Lisa asked, looking out at the water.

Sue and Uncle Reed looked at each other and then Lisa. "I'm sure he loved you in his way. I'm willing to bet deep down he knew that it wasn't your fault that your mother died. It happened and it was easier to believe that an innocent baby was at fault," Sue said, sounding almost as if she didn't believe it any more than Lisa did.

'I hope you're right," Lisa muttered, hoping they could change this dark subject.

"Your father did have good qualities too. Believe it or not your father had no trouble asking a girl out. I kind of wished I was like him in that regard. He knew how to talk to a girl. You, Sue, can be a little intimidating," Uncle Reed said.

"You know, a girl can grow old waiting for you to take charge," Sue pointed out.

"Well, we can't always be as bold as-"Uncle Reed started to say.

"Bold as who? Victor? Scott? Ben or Lisa maybe? You know there is no me and Victor," Sue said.

"Really? What happened?" Lisa wanted to know.

"Just didn't work out. There never was me and Victor," Sue said.

"Well, I guess I always thought that's what you wanted. A stronger man," Uncle Reed said, shape shifting so he looked like Wolverine from X-men.

Lisa and Sue both looked at each other before laughing. "I did, Reed. But I wanted you to be that man. Not Scott or Victor. Just you," Sue said, smiling.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Uncle Reed asked.

"I guess it kind of would have defeated the purpose," Sue said wistfully. "But I'm saying it now."

Uncle Reed leaned forward to kiss her as Sue became invisible. Lisa laughed at the look on his face. "That's not fair," Uncle Reed said wryly.

&

Sue, Reed, and Lisa entered the lab. Lisa yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. 'Tired?" Reed asked.

"A little, but I did have fun with the two-"Lisa started to say and then stopped. Reed and Sue looked in the direction Lisa was looking. Ben sat there, looking as if he would kill someone.

"Yeah. I have that effect on people," Ben said, his voice low.

"Uncle Ben?" Lisa asked a concerned look in her brown eyes.

"Ben?" Reed asked. Something was bothering his friend and he wanted to know what it was.

"Hold it. So you remember my name now, do you? But do you also remember what you swore to do with every breath in your body?" Ben asked threateningly.

"We're working as hard as we can," Reed said, his excuse sounding feeble in the face of Ben's anger.

Ben laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I can tell," Ben said, glancing at Sue and Lisa. "Victor was right."

"Victor? Ben, I don't know if this thing will change us back or make things worse. I'm trying to make everything work, but if I miscalculate and Lisa steps inside it could kill her. I need all of us to be patient for a little while longer," Reed said, looking at first Lisa and then Ben. Lisa seemed to understand his hesitation while Ben didn't.

"Reed, look at me!" Ben shouted.

"I am looking! That's why I can't make a mistake! I've got to get it right and it's not right yet! We need to test it!" Reed snapped, his patience frayed at Ben's lack of understanding.

"I spent my whole life protecting you and Lisa and for what? So you can date your girlfriend while I'm the freak of the week!" Ben shouted, pushing Reed back so he crashed into a table.

"Uncle Reed!" Lisa yelled, rushing over to him.

Ben, stop it!" Sue ordered, causing Ben to look at her.

"You and Lisa stay out of this, Susie!" Ben said, his voice low, but still intense.

"Stop it or I will," Sue threatened. Lisa helped Reed up, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

"Uncle Ben, Uncle Reed is telling the truth. The machine doesn't work. I was in the room when he tested it. He's been using plants. They died every time. Uncle Ben, please be patient," Lisa begged, her brown eyes pleading.

"I guess you can watch your own back now," Ben said gruffly to Reed as he walked away. "Because I ain't doing it no more. You three are on your own," Ben said, storming off.

Reed sat on the step, leading into the power reversal machine. Lisa sat next to Reed, taking his hand in hers. "I hope he didn't mean that, Uncle Reed. I know how hard you're trying," Lisa said, resting her forehead against his shoulder.

"I'm sure. I just think Victor has been talking to Ben and told him some things that just aren't true. You don't think I'm stalling in finding a cure, do you?" Reed asked, brushing her brown hair gently.

"No, I don't. You were so tired trying to find the cure," Lisa said.

"What can you do about it, Reed? Ben is just too angry right now. He's not willing to listen to you," Sue said as she left the lab.

"She's probably right, Uncle Reed," Lisa said.

"Probably. Why don't you go to bed, Lisa? I'm going to work on the machine awhile," Reed said, kissing her forehead gently.

"Are you sure?" Lisa asked.

"I'm sure. Go on. Get to bed," Reed said.

"All right. Night, Uncle Reed. I love you," Lisa said. Reed paused and stared at her. This was the first time she had said those words since she had come to stay with him.

"I love you too, Lisa," Reed muttered softly as she left the lab for her room. Even though Lisa didn't blame him as Ben did Reed still felt guilty. He should have tried harder. Maybe he still could.


	15. The Gamble and the Aftermath

Chapter 14-

Chapter 14-

**A/N: Lisa makes her decision in this chapter regarding being adopted by Reed. I figured this was the best time for it in this story. Not that long, but my next part should be longer.**

&

Lisa was brushing her teeth as the lights flickered and a motor ran. It sounded as though it came from Uncle Reed's lab. Lisa put down her toothbrush and ran towards the lab as Sue did.

"Lisa, do you think-"Sue started to ask, looking at the machine nervously as the lights flickered inside.

"I don't know. Uncle Reed told me to go to bed and he'd work on the machine awhile. But he said he didn't have anymore plants. Sue, you don't think he's trying it on himself, do you?" Lisa asked nervously as she wrung her fingers.

Before Sue could answer the lights stopped flashing and the door slid open. Uncle Reed stepped out slowly and turned to look at both Lisa and Sue.

"Reed?" Sue asked. Uncle Reed then smiled briefly just before his face sagged; followed by the rest of his body. He fell to the floor hard. Lisa and Sue both rushed to him, helping him to sit up. It was like he was having a massive stroke; only different. Looking at him like this Lisa then made up her mind about what she wanted.

"Dad?" Lisa asked, touching his shoulder. In that moment Lisa knew that Uncle Reed was more than just her uncle. Saying that one word had made him her father. This time around, though, she'd have a father who wouldn't hurt her.

It was hard to tell from Uncle Reed's expression what he thought of her admission. "I can…make it work," Uncle Reed said, his voice broken slightly from the changes he had just gone through.

"Reed, stop, you need to see a doctor," Sue said, her blue eyes full of concern.

"The power…I need…more power…to control…the storm," Uncle Reed said, his brown eyes clouding slightly.

"Daddy, you need a doctor," Lisa said firmly as Uncle Reed lost consciousness.

"Lisa, can you help me?" Sue asked, trying to help Uncle Reed up.

"Sure. Where are we putting him?" Lisa asked, wrapping Uncle Reed's arm around her shoulder.

"His room," Sue said as both grunted and dragged Uncle Reed to his room. Considering his legs were stretched like rubber bands and he wasn't awake to help them he was like a dead weight.

'I'll go get the first aid kit. You stay with him," Sue said after they put Uncle Reed on the bed and Lisa covered him with a blanket. Sue left as Lisa sat on a chair, watching her uncle. The effects of the cloud were quick to disappear. By the time the electrical surge started Uncle Reed's face was back to normal.

&

Reed woke up to the lights flickering in his bedroom and saw Lisa standing in front of the door, hesitating. "Lisa?" He asked softly.

Lisa spun around, her brown eyes huge and full of relief. "Are you okay?" Lisa asked in a small voice.

"I'm fine. What's going on?" Reed asked as he got to his feet and walked to her, touching her thin shoulders with his hands.

"Sue went to get the first aid kit. She told me to stay with you. When the lights started flashing-"Lisa started to say.

"Well, come with me and then we'll see what's going on," Reed said, taking Lisa's hand and all but running to the lab.

"Are you sure?" Lisa asked nervously as they entered the lab.

They froze as soon as their eyes saw Victor von Doom standing there and saw a prone figure lying among a broken shelf. "Vic?" Reed asked surprised. Victor's face looked metallic; the same kind of metal that was used in building the shields on the space station!

"Bring it on then!" Victor said enthused. Reed then recognized the figure on the floor. It was a man wearing Ben's trench coat. So it had to be Ben!

"Ben? What did you do?" Reed asked sharply.

"Exactly what I said I would. I built a bigger, stronger man. I outsmarted the great Reed Richards," Victor said, his voice low and deadly.

"Lisa, get out of here," Reed asked, hoping he could get Lisa out of the way. Victor wanted Reed dead. Lisa had done nothing to Victor so he didn't hate her like he did Reed, but that wouldn't stop Victor from harming a little girl in the process. Lisa managed to get over to Ben without Victor seeing her. Not exactly what Reed had in mind, but this way Lisa was checking on Ben for him. "Victor, you've exposed yourself to the storm. You're endangering your life. You need help!" Reed said, turning his attention back to Victor.

"You always mean best," Victor muttered. "So tell me, what happens when you superheat rubber?" Victor asked to Reed's shock. Victor shot a volt of electricity out of his hand towards Reed.

"Dad, watch out!" Reed heard Lisa scream belatedly as he dodged away from the bolt. Reed ran as Victor shot another bolt and he crashed through the window behind him. Hearing Lisa's panicked calling for him he grabbed the ledge to no avail.

His body stretched like rubber and his fingers slipped, causing him to drop like a rock thirty or forty stories. Hitting the building once on his way down Reed lost all consciousness; his last thought being of what he had heard Lisa call him. She had made up her mind


	16. Frozen Alive

Chapter 16-

Chapter 16-

**A/N: A little sooner than planned but since the place where I work is going through an audit and it's keeping me out of work until Wednesday I decided to do this now instead of Saturday.**

**&**

Sue came over to Uncle Ben and Lisa. "Lisa, are you all right?" Sue asked anxiously as she helped Lisa up.

"I think so. But Daddy-" Lisa whimpered softly as both of them touched Uncle Ben's shoulders.

"We'll find him, Lisa. Don't worry. Ben!" Sue touched the side of Uncle Ben's throat. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sue!" Johnny's voice came through the lab. Lisa had never been so happy to see anyone in her life. From the look on her face Sue agreed with that sentiment.

"Johnny, the machine worked! Give me and Lisa a hand!" Sue said. Johnny ran over and helped Lisa and Sue get Uncle Ben up.

"Ben," Johnny said, grabbing Uncle Ben's arms.

"Get his arm," Sue said as they stood Uncle Ben to his feet and he groaned. It was then Lisa noticed what had happened. Uncle Ben was back to normal! The machine had worked.

"You all right, Ben? Let's get him on the seat," Johnny said as they put him at Dad's worktable. "What happened, big guy?" Johnny grunted. Uncle Ben took deep breaths, a fierce look in his eyes.

"The machine…Vic used it on himself. He was affected by the cloud; like us," Uncle Ben managed to say.

"So, that's why he looks the way he does," Lisa said, causing Sue and Johnny to look at her.

"What do you mean by that, Shorty?" Johnny asked.

"His skin looks mixed with metal and he shot electricity out of his hands. Dad managed to avoid the first hit, but Victor hit him again and he went through the window. Victor left after that. He hates Dad. I saw what happened when he came here last time and he accused Dad of ruining our lives. I just want to find him, Sue," Lisa said, feeling tears roll down her face.

"We'll find Reed, Lisa. Where's Reed, Ben?" Sue asked.

"Vic must have taken him after knocking him out the window. I'm sorry, Lisa," Uncle Ben apologized as they all looked at the broken glass.

&

Reed sat tied to a chair as he slowly came awake. He had never felt so cold in his life before he realized what was happening. "Dr. Richards, allow me to begin your lesson; chemistry 101. What happens to rubber when it's supercooled?" A hooded figure with Victor's voice asked in a corner.

Reed shivered, trying to keep his thoughts on Lisa. Lisa would be taken care of if Victor killed him. Reed knew what Victor was doing now. Judging from the freezing units tied to his arms and the fact that rubber breaks when frozen, Reed knew his chances of survival were slim.

"Give up? That's not like you, Reed," Victor said, grabbing Reed's finger and bending it back until it nearly snapped. Reed grunted in pain. "After all we're both doctors. Painful? You don't know the meaning of the word," Victor let go of Reed's hand and walked away.

Reed wondered what he meant by that. Reed hoped that Victor wouldn't harm Lisa. He had to have some goodness in him. What kind of monster would kill a little girl?

Victor took out a torpedo gun and aimed it at the Baxter Building. "Let's take out the rest of the family," Victor said, pulling the trigger after siting the lab.

&

Sue, Lisa, and Johnny watched as a streak of smoke shot towards them from Victor von Doom's building. Lisa and Sue looked at Johnny wordlessly. He rushed to the edge of the patio, looking at the street below.

"We've got to get out of here," Sue said in a panicked voice.

"I've got an idea," Johnny said, tensing slightly.

"Sue, is he-" Lisa started to ask.

"I think so. Don't even think about it," Sue said sharply.

"Never do," Johnny said as he jumped over the ledge.

"Johnny, no!" Lisa and Sue screamed as they watched Johnny fall like a rock. The streak of smoke followed him and he burst into flames and flew away; his shout of glee being heard.

"So he can fly?" Lisa asked, impressed.

"I guess so. Lisa, come with me," Sue said as both ran back into the building.

"We have to help, Reed," Uncle Ben said, clutching the wall.

"It's too dangerous for you now. You have to stay here. Me and Lisa will take care of it," Sue said. Sue and Lisa ran to the bedroom that they shared and slipped into their spacesuits. As much as Lisa hated the spacesuit, she hoped they weren't late in finding Dad. She had just found him. She wasn't going to lose him now.

&

Sue and Lisa stood in front of Victor's building. "So, what's your plan, Sue?" Lisa asked, looking through the darkened windows.

"Since we can both go undetected in a building we can find Reed quicker," Sue said, her gloved hand on Lisa's shoulder.

"I hope he's okay. I can't bear the thought of anyone hurting him. I just found my Dad. I can't lose him now," Lisa said.

"You won't. We'll find him, but we need to go now. I'll go first. You count to ten and go through the wall," Sue said, becoming invisible.

Lisa did as Sue instructed, counting and walking through the wall. Fortunately no one caught her as she made her way to the set of metal stairs leading to Victor's office and as she ran up the stairs.


	17. Ben's Return

Chapter 17-

Chapter 17-

Lisa managed to make it to Victor's office as Sue did. Sue became visible and they both looked inside. Heavy metallic tubes where behind, and attached, to a chair. They were attached by wires. On closer look Lisa saw her father's arm. It looked like it was covered in ice.

"Okay, now what?" Lisa whispered fretfully.

"I'll go first. If Victor catches me then you come next. You can get your father away," Sue said, becoming invisible.

Lisa watched, holding her breath as the switch to the machine flipped to one side and shackles on the chairs loosened.

"Suse," Dad's voice groaned.

"Shh! Me and Lisa are both here, Reed. We'll get you out. What has he done to you?" Sue whispered softly.

"How romantic," Sue became visible and turned to look at a hooded figure that was behind her.

"Victor, please," Sue said, facing Victor off. Lisa ran into the room, unnoticed, and stood beside her father.

"Call me Doom," Victor said in a sinister voice.

"Mr. von Doom, the machine works. It worked on Uncle Ben. It can work on you. We can turn you back," Lisa said. This was the first time she had ever actually talked to Victor. She normally felt shy around strangers, but this time she didn't.

"You know something, little girl, you should really stay out of grownup matters. Every time I see you, you are in the room with your uncle or Susan," Victor said.

"Not happening. And if you harm any of us I'll scream and bring the building down," Lisa threatened, seeing a bright light from the Baxter shine in the corner of her eye.

"Do you really think fate turned us into gods so we could refuse these gifts?" Victor asked. Lisa rolled her eyes heavenward. The man had an ego so big he thought he was a god. How shallow and vain could a person be? Apparently Sue wasn't impressed either with that statement.

"Victor, you always thought you were a god. Now, back off!" Sue snapped.

"Susan, let's not fight," Victor said warningly.

"No! Let's!" Sue said, throwing a force field into Victor. It barely moved him and shattered the window behind him.

"Susan, fight!" Victor shouted, throwing a bolt of electricity at Sue and knocking her into the wall.

"Sue!" Lisa shouted as Sue crashed into wall ornaments and a table.

"To think, I was about to share my life with you," Victor said walking toward Sue as she made herself invisible. "Marco. Polo. MARCO!" Victor shouted as a force field came out of no where towards him. Victor dodged slightly and shot a current of electricity, catching Sue and causing her to become visible. Victor wrapped his hand around her throat. "Sue, did you say goodbye to your brother, Johnny?" Victor asked in a condescending tone as Sue's voice came out in a gag. He tossed her towards the chair where Dad was. Lisa stooped next to her waiting for Victor's next bolt of electricity.

Lisa, Dad, and Sue all looked at each other briefly. "It's time to end this," Victor said just as the wall behind him exploded and a huge orange, rocky figure jumped through and into the room. The dust cleared.

"UNCLE BEN!!" Lisa shrieked, never so happy to see anyone in her life. Uncle Ben was back to the way he was before he stepped into the chamber. That must have been what the flashing was that Lisa saw briefly.

Victor turned to face him. "It's clobbering time," Uncle Ben said in a low voice before he punched Victor. Victor went flying through the air and into the far wall. Victor then fell to the floor and the wall fell on him.

"I've been waiting to do that," Uncle Ben said, a smile on his face.

"Uncle Ben, I'm so glad you're here!" Lisa exclaimed, throwing her arms around him tightly.

"I'm okay now, Sweetie. How's Reed?" Uncle Ben asked.

"Victor froze him solid, Ben," Sue said as Uncle Ben made his way over to them and the freezing units.

"Susie, are you and Lisa okay?" Uncle Ben asked concerned.

Lisa and Sue smiled briefly and nodded their heads as they fumbled with the clasps holding Dad's arms to the chair. "We're fine, Uncle Ben. Maybe you can knock out the freezing unit attached to the back of Dad's chair," Lisa suggested.

"Victor ain't that bad, huh?" Uncle Ben asked, pulling the freezing unit off of Dad's chair in the back. "He's just a little larger than life, right?" Uncle Ben asked, removing the clasps from Dad's arms. Dad looked relieved in spite of Uncle Ben's rant as Lisa and Sue wrapped their arms around him. "Maybe next time you'll listen to me before-"Uncle Ben started to say as the lights flickered out and a dark figure bull rushed Uncle Ben through the window.

&

"Okay, we have to save Ben now," Reed said as Lisa and Sue helped him up and he felt strong enough to say something.

"Sure, but how, Daddy?" Lisa asked, keeping her arms firmly around his waist. Her dark eyebrows were furrowed in thought as she looked up at him.

"We'll have to figure that out when we get there," Reed said, looking out the exit Ben and Victor had made.

"Wait. I have an idea," Lisa said, running toward the opening. She looked down. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes tight she jumped.

"Lisa, no!" Reed and Sue both shouted at the same time as they ran toward the opening. Lisa had landed on an awning cover and was running into the crowd of spectators that were watching a fight between two figures.

"You think?" Sue asked, looking at the awning.

"I guess if Lisa could do it, so could we," Reed muttered as they both jumped. Reed also made a mental note to talk with her about this particular stunt. He could see that this would work for him, Sue, or Johnny, but not a ten-year-old girl who had never wanted to be a superhero in the first place!


	18. The Fight and the Heros' Party

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**A/N: I hate to say this, but this is the last chapter for this story! I want to personally say thank you to all who read this story and responded to it. I'm glad you all enjoyed it and told me so in your responses. I can honestly say that with all of you I got attached to Lisa Richards too. She is more complex than the OC characters I have written for Batman Begins and Star Wars. I also am going to write using the events in **_**Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer."**_** I like that movie and I'd love to have a little girl's reactions in it. I also have the DVD so certain lines should be easier to write since for this story I had the first movie on VHS. It wasn't easy to get what they were saying at times. Again I am sorry that this story has to end, but like I've heard all good things have to come to an end.**

**&**

Lisa looked around carefully for an opening. It wasn't easy with a lot of people blocking her path. Lisa stood in shock as Victor drove Uncle Ben through the street and lifted a pole to his throat. "Goodbye, Ben," Victor said menacingly.

"I can't let you do that," Dad's voice came through the crowd. Lisa looked over the crowd. Dad stood there, panting slightly and looking angry. This was one of those rare times that Lisa had seen Reed Richards angry. Really angry.

"Reed," Victor laughed cruelly. "I'll be right with you." Victor drove the pole towards Uncle Ben just as a force field formed in front of him.

Victor turned as Sue walked over to Dad. Lisa managed to slip through the crowd and get Uncle Ben to his feet. "Susan. You three are pathetic!" Victor said, walking towards Dad and Sue.

"Mr. von Doom, there's still only four of us," Lisa pointed out, not knowing why she was bothering being so polite to the man who nearly killed her father and Uncle Ben. Victor would have said something, but a fireball hit Victor full in the face. A flaming figure flew through the air and landed besides Sue and Dad.

"You missed me," Johnny said as Lisa and Uncle Ben made their way to the others.

"You okay, Johnny?" Lisa asked.

"Sure, Shorty. Are you?" Johnny asked.

"Uh-huh. I'm glad you proved your theory about flying," Lisa said, licking her lips nervously.

"Had a little relapse, huh? Welcome back," Johnny said to Uncle Ben as he stood next to Lisa.

"This is going to be fun!" Victor exclaimed as he raised his arms and bolts of electricity shot out of him and into everything metal. Sparks flew everywhere as the crowd ran, screaming. Lisa looked up as the electricity even knocked out the windows. It was like World War III unleashed.

Johnny ran towards him along with Uncle Ben only to be stopped by electrical bolts. The next bolt was aimed at a light post. A piece fell and Sue stopped it before it landed on a screaming woman.

Victor aimed the next bolt at Sue. Sue raised her arms, bringing up her force field. "I can't hold it!" Sue shouted, closing her eyes and holding the force field tightly.

Dad stretched and grabbed a mailbox. "Lisa, scream!" Dad ordered sharply as he picked up the mailbox and flung it at Victor.

"But you told me not to!" Lisa yelped back.

"Lisa! Do it!" Dad ordered as he rolled himself into the shape of a tire and rolled towards Victor. Lisa opened her mouth and screamed, the sonic burst no longer shocking her as it had when she first discovered that she had it. "Johnny, supernova!" Dad yelled as he held Victor firmly.

"I thought we agreed that was bad!" Johnny protested.

"Now!" Dad yelled. Uncle Ben grabbed Dad's hands as Johnny ran a circle around Victor, pulling Dad away before he could get hurt.

Dad put his hands on Lisa's shoulders and looked over at Sue. "Sue, can you finish?" Dad yelled. Sue put up a force field, containing the fire.

"Flame on, Kid," Lisa heard Uncle Ben mumble as she stopped screaming and wrapped her arms around Dad, watching to see how Johnny and Sue were holding up.

Signs of exhaustion and strain were on Sue's face and her nose was starting to bleed a little while Johnny looked as if he wasn't anywhere near stopping. Sue lost her grip on the force field and Johnny got pushed back, causing the flames to die.

In the middle of the dying ring of fire Victor stood there; a metallic figure. He actually reminded Lisa of his statue in front of his building. "Is that the best you can do?" Victor mocked.

"Time for your lesson. Chem 101. What happens when you cool rapidly hot metal," Dad said, walking behind Victor toward Uncle Ben and a fire hydrant next to him.

Uncle Ben kicked off the lid, spraying the water towards Dad. Dad formed himself into an arc, spraying the water to Victor. After a few minutes the water subsided and Victor stood there, looking like a frozen statue. So metal hardened when cooled!

They all looked surprised until Lisa and Dad thought of Sue on the ground. "Sue, are you okay?" Dad asked as he and Lisa grabbed Sue's arms and helped her up.

"Yeah," Sue said softly. They looked around as the crowd started cheering.

"Man, I love this job," Johnny said in a low voice.

"Job, huh?" Uncle Ben asked in a gravelly voice.

"Well, we do have the suits," Dad pointed out.

Johnny and Uncle Ben turned to face the crowd as Lisa turned to look at her father. "Dad, I think you guys have the suits. I don't want to do this yet. Can't I just be a hero-in-training and join up when I feel ready?" Lisa asked timidly.

"Of course. Like I said when I told you that I wanted to adopt you, it's your choice. I don't want to force you to make a decision to do something you don't want," Dad said, cupping her face gently.

"Thanks, Dad. I love you," Lisa said, hugging him tightly. She was so relieved that he didn't make her be a hero. Maybe when she was older she could do it.

&

Two nights later Lisa stood next to Reed and Ben on a yacht in the middle of New York harbor. It was hard to talk with the music, but since it was a thank-you to the Fantastic Four Reed could hardly argue with it. Sue and Ben's new girlfriend, Alicia had gone to get drinks, leaving Reed, Ben, and Lisa to talk. Reed really liked Alicia. Ben had met the girl a few days before and already she had helped heal the pain of Debbie's rejection. Alicia was also blind. So that helped Ben not feel so inferior either with his own condition.

"So you start the adoption procedure, Egghead?" Ben asked. Reed smiled at Lisa as she grabbed a thick handful of his jacket.

"We started it this morning. The judges said that since Lisa wants it and I'm her only living relative there shouldn't be a problem with it. That as soon as the papers are written out and I get them, it will make Lisa legally my daughter," Reed said, hugging Lisa tightly.

"That's good," Ben said, taking a bite of cracker.

"I like your shoes, Uncle Ben," Lisa said, changing the subject. Reed then noticed Ben's shoes. They were huge! Ben must have preordered them to fit him along with a whole new wardrobe.

"Thank you, Lisa. Custom made. 36 wasn't believable until they measured my feet," Ben commented.

"They're Nike's, right?" Lisa asked.

"Yep. I figure I can't walk around with no shoes," Ben said.

"Look, I've measured the numbers of the machine. I figure if I can rework the power cell and you and Lisa want to be normal again-"Reed started to say. Ben interrupted him.

"Forget about it, Egghead. I'm good," Ben said as Alicia and Sue joined them.

"Better than good, Baby," Alicia said, clinking her glass to Ben's. The force of it broke Alicia's glass.

"I'll go get another glass of champagne for you," Lisa volunteered, running towards the bar.

"Thank you. That's a nice girl. A little quiet, but nice," Alicia said Lisa came back and handed Alicia her drink.

"Thank you. You know, two years ago I wouldn't have been at a party like this. This is kind of fun," Lisa said, grabbing the Dr. Pepper she had put down. Reed remembered those days well; when Lisa was scared of everyone and everything. Reed hated thinking of those days. He had to change the subject.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Reed asked, turning to look at Sue.

"Sure," Sue said, going out to the deck. Reed looked at Lisa and Ben. He had told them what he had planned to talk with Sue about this morning and they had understood. Ben winked at him and Lisa squeezed his hand gently.

"Yeah. I'm asking her," Reed said, following Sue out to the deck railing and swallowing hard.

The silence was uncomfortable as they stood there, looking at the dark water. "I found a broken gasket in space-"Reed started to say, turning to her.

"A gasket? Reed, come on! We're having a party," Sue protested.

"And if one of us were to wear it-"Reed interrupted himself, holding out a ring made from the gasket. Reed got down on one knee. "No more thinking. No more variables." Reed took her hand in his. "Sue Storm, will you marry me?"

"Is Lisa okay with it?" Sue asked dazedly.

"I talked with her this morning. She understands that you aren't trying to take her place in my heart. She also realizes that I can love both of you. I'm going to be living with two beautiful women if you say yes," Reed said.

Sue became invisible and Reed slipped the ring on her finger. Sue just stood there for a long moment. Reed laughed slightly. "Sue, you kind of, need to say something," Reed said, biting the inside of his mouth so he wouldn't laugh more than he was doing.

"Oh. Yes!" Sue said, sounding distracted. Reed breathed a huge sigh of relief. He had almost thought she'd say no. He stood to his feet and leaned in to kiss her.

"That's my nose, Genius. These are my lips," Sue said, laughing as she kissed him firmly.

"Awwww! She's kissing him!" Reed heard Ben say and Alicia laugh. Looking up he realized the whole party was watching them kiss. Lisa stood there, grinning like a Cheshire cat and looking happy for him and Sue.

"Hey, no more wisecracks about the way I look," Reed heard Ben say to Johnny.

"Call me Mr. Sensitivity," Johnny said back. Johnny made his way through the crowd, ruining what he had just said. "Okay! Wide load coming through! Everybody move! He's huge!" Johnny yelled. Ben ran after him, looking like he was going to hurt Johnny.

"Come here, Mr. Sensitive!" Ben thundered as they all followed Johnny outside.

"Flame on!" Johnny yelled, bursting into flames and flying off.

"Show-off!" Ben yelled up at the sky. Reed and Sue joined the others, Lisa slipping her arms around Reed's waist.

"Just call it fireworks without the charges, Uncle Ben," Lisa said as Johnny made a huge 4 in the sky.

Reed laughed with everyone else as he hugged his daughter and Sue. He was happy to have them both and he wondered what would happen to him and his new family now.

**THE END**


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